washington u.s. interior secretary ryan zinke thursday launch effort reduce u.s. dependence foreign supply critical minerals use smartphones computers military equipment say pose national security economic risk directive president donald trump zinke work defense secretary jim mattis publish 60 days list non-fuel minerals vulnerable supply chain disruptions necessary manufacture develop strategy lessen u.s. dependence foreign suppliers policy would aim identify new domestic source critical minerals increase domestic exploration mine recycle give miners producers electronic access good map geological data streamline lease permit new mine unite state must remain reliant foreign competitors like russia china critical minerals need keep economy strong country safe trump say order come interior department u.s. geological survey publish report early week detail u.s. dependence foreign competitors supply certain minerals report identify 23 88 minerals priorities u.s. national defense economy components products range batteries military equipment list include rare earth metal lithium graphite minerals report offer policy recommendations zinke say would rely find prioritize research certain mineral deposit areas federal land plan policies promote mine twenty 23 critical minerals unite state rely source china much world lithium produce australia chile bulk world reserve straddle huge salt flats so-called lithium triangle chile bolivia argentina lithium export chile example approach 600 million 2016 roughly 40 percent global market volume accord chile development agency corfo lithium producers sqm albemarle fmc lithium among region top producers u.s. launch effort reduce reliance import critical minerals