The U.S. Army will lease land on military bases nationwide to mining companies for critical mineral processing plants, military officials said Thursday. The preliminary agreements grant long-term access to Titan Mining Corporation, Energy X, Ioneer and REalloys to build facilities producing minerals essential for defense applications.

This move advances the Trump administration's broader effort to secure domestic sources of vital industrial inputs currently dominated by China. The companies will process materials needed for everything from drones to body armor, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers for national security needs.

The strategy reflects growing concerns about supply chain vulnerabilities in strategic sectors. By situating processing operations on military installations, the Army gains direct access to materials without navigating commercial supply chains that could be disrupted during conflicts.

These partnerships position the selected miners to benefit from government-backed demand while addressing national security priorities. The initiative signals increasing government involvement in securing critical materials supply chains amid rising geopolitical tensions with China.