Project Vault is a newly announced U.S. strategic critical-minerals stockpile for civilian industry. The White House says it will acquire and hold critical/rare-earth minerals for American automakers, tech firms and other manufacturers to prevent supply disruptions, reduce reliance on China, and ensure businesses/workers aren’t harmed by shortages.
No single federal agency was named in the short clip or initial coverage as the sole administrator. Reporting says the plan is being launched with the Export–Import Bank (Ex‑Im) providing financing and that Interior and other officials were involved, but officials have not published a definitive administration/operational lead in available reports.
The administration did not publish a definitive list in the announcement. News reports describe "critical minerals/rare earths" generally (examples include lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, graphite and rare-earth elements) but the specific minerals to be procured for Project Vault have not been publicly listed.
The White House announcement and early coverage did not describe an access/request mechanism for businesses. Reported details focus on financing and procurement partners; how private firms will request or draw from the stockpile has not been disclosed.
The White House said Project Vault pairs a roughly $10 billion Export–Import Bank loan with private financing (reported between $1.67 billion and $2 billion across outlets). A precise budget line-item, appropriations vehicle or long‑term funding plan was not released in the initial announcement.
The announcement did not name physical storage sites or logistics arrangements. Reporting notes private commodity firms have been tapped for procurement and management, but exact stockpile locations and distribution logistics have not been disclosed publicly.
The White House framed Project Vault as a supply‑security measure, not as an immediate change to import/export rules or tariffs. Early reporting does not show new trade restrictions; however, a large U.S. stockpile could influence market supply and prices over time — but concrete rule changes or price effects have not been announced.