Tin, tungsten, antimony, rare earths, the inputs modern militaries cannot fight without, are mined and refined overwhelmingly outside the West, and prices for all four are near cyclical peaks at the worst possible moment. The instinctive response from governments has been to list critical minerals, fund a handful of mines, and hope.

In this free white paper, Mining Journal's deputy editor William Clarke argues that this approach is structurally incapable of working and lays out the alternative. Learn more around:

• Why the West's critical minerals problem is demand-side, not supply-side.  China's dominance isn't a deliberate stranglehold; it's the byproduct of a manufacturing base the West no longer has.

• The real story behind tin, tungsten, antimony and rare earths: Concentration ratios, current export controls, and where each metal is exposed heading into 2027.

• Why "mineral by mineral" policy is set up to fall. Price floors and stockpiles treat the symptom.

• What actually rebuilds Western supply resilience? The case for demand-side industrial policy over another critical minerals list.