Mining the Future: America's Critical Minerals Challenge

PAST EVENT VIDEO

Paramita Das, Alaina Harkness, and Karl Friedhoff discuss the strategic challenges facing the US as it tries to secure critical mineral supply chains while balancing competing policy priorities.

Men sit near a periodic table showing minerals at the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing on November 27, 2024.

Ng Han Guan / AP

Speakers

Paramita Das
Alaina Harkness
Karl Friedhoff

Event Date

October 16, 2025

About This Event

Critical minerals and rare earth elements are essential to America's clean energy transition and advanced defense technologies. Yet, the United States remains heavily dependent on Chinese imports with minimal domestic mining or processing capacity. How is the Trump administration approaching this issue? Can the United States reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers while simultaneously pursuing policies that may decrease demand for these materials? And what are the consequences of getting this strategy wrong? Join us for a conversation with Paramita Das, Alaina Harkness, and Karl Friedhoff as they examine America's approach to critical mineral independence and its implications.

About the Speakers

Paramita Das

Sr. Advisor to CEO and Chief Strategy Officer, Stardust Power Inc.

Paramita Das serves as chief strategy officer and senior advisor at Stardust Power Inc., bringing over 20 years of experience in the global metals and mining sector. She previously spent eight years at Rio Tinto, the world's second largest metals and mining corporation, serving as global head of marketing, development and ESG for metals and minerals.

Alaina Harkness

CEO, Current & Great Lakes ReNEW

Alaina Harkness leads Current, the Chicago-based water innovation hub, and Great Lakes RENEW, the National Science Foundation-supported Great Lakes Water Innovation Engine. Prior, she held roles at the John D. and Catherine D. MacArthur Foundation, the Brookings Institution, RW Ventures, and the Chicago Community Trust.

Karl Friedhoff

Marshall M. Bouton Fellow for Asia Studies

Karl Friedhoff was a Korea Foundation-Mansfield Foundation US-Korea Nexus Scholar and a member of the Mansfield Foundation’s Trilateral Working Group prior to joining the Council. Previously, he was a program officer in the Public Opinion Studies Program at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies based in Seoul, South Korea.

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Issues Global Economy Tech and Science

Regions Global

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