Ionic Mineral Technologies has uncovered what may be one of the United States’ most significant critical-mineral deposits at Utah’s Silicon Ridge, a find that could aid efforts to reduce dependence on China-dominated supply chains, according to reporting cited by The Daily Wire.
Ionic Mineral Technologies (Ionic MT) recently made the discovery while working a clay deposit at Utah's Silicon Ridge, The Daily Wire reports, citing the Wall Street Journal.
The company, which initially leased the land to produce nanosilicon for lithium-ion batteries, identified high‑grade concentrations of 16 critical minerals. According to the Daily Wire article, these include lithium, alumina, germanium, rubidium, cesium, vanadium, niobium, and scandium.
Independent testing confirmed that the deposit is a halloysite‑hosted ion‑adsorption clay, similar to geological formations in China that supply a major share of global rare‑earth output, the report states.
Because the deposit is shallow, accessible, and located on pre‑permitted land with existing infrastructure, Ionic MT says extraction could begin quickly, according to the Daily Wire summary of the Journal’s reporting. CEO Andre Zeitoun is quoted as arguing that the find has major national security implications, as the minerals are considered indispensable for advanced semiconductors, electric vehicles, fighter jets, and artificial‑intelligence hardware.
The disclosure comes amid heightened geopolitical tension over China’s dominance in critical minerals. The Daily Wire article notes that China produces roughly 70% of the world’s rare earths and processes about 90%, giving it significant leverage over global supply chains.
The report also references recent Chinese export restrictions that have raised concern among U.S. officials and industry. It states that a one‑year delay in the implementation of certain curbs was secured through trade talks, providing a short window for the United States and its allies to expand production and processing capacity. Those specific diplomatic details, however, are not independently detailed in the Daily Wire piece beyond that characterization.
The Daily Wire further highlights the policy push led by Senator Marco Rubio (R‑FL). In July 2024, Rubio introduced the Critical Mineral Supply Chain Realignment Act of 2024, which, according to the article, would impose steep and escalating tariffs on a range of Chinese‑controlled products, including electromagnets, permanent magnets, batteries, solar components, and other technologies. Tariffs on Chinese goods would rise as high as 800%, while products from non‑allied nations would face 25% duties, the outlet reports.
Rubio has argued that the United States must break what he calls China’s "critical mineral industrial monopoly," warning that Beijing’s near‑total control over mining, refining, and magnet production poses economic and national security risks, according to the Daily Wire account.
The article adds that Rubio has worked with Senator Mark Warner (D‑VA) and others to press the White House and the Export‑Import Bank to prioritize financing for domestic and allied processing, refining, and metallurgical capacity. Their letters, as described in the report, emphasize soaring demand for critical minerals and U.S. dependence on China for "nearly 100%" of some supply chains, and urge rapid investment in cooperation with allies such as Australia.
Utah’s newly reported deposit is portrayed in the Daily Wire piece as both an industrial opportunity and a strategic asset, especially given the state’s existing mix of critical‑mineral resources. State leaders, the article notes in general terms, echo concerns about over‑reliance on foreign sources and see additional domestic production as important for U.S. energy security, defense needs, and long‑term technological competitiveness.
While the scale and commercial viability of the Silicon Ridge deposit will depend on further exploration, permitting, and market conditions, analysts and policymakers cited in the Daily Wire report frame the discovery as a potentially important step toward diversifying critical‑mineral supply.
