A massive strike of rare earth elements and graphite in Alaska might just be the hammer to crack China’s stranglehold on critical minerals.
At the Graphite Creek site near Nome, Alaska, GraphiteOne has uncovered what could be a game-changer for U.S. energy, tech, and automotive industries, potentially slashing dependence on foreign supplies while challenging China’s dominance in these vital sectors.
This discovery, hailed as the largest of its kind in the U.S., comes at a time when America is over 93% reliant on imported rare earth elements (REEs) and graphite, per the International Energy Agency.
China has long held the upper hand, controlling 90% of global graphite production and even tightening export limits on magnet-related REEs in 2024, as reported by PRNewswire, which only deepens U.S. manufacturing woes.
The specific REEs unearthed at Graphite Creek—neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium—alongside garnet-rich ore, are the building blocks of batteries, renewable tech, magnets, and everyday gadgets like smartphones.
Interestingly, the site’s chief geologist noted that garnets there can absorb certain REEs into their structure, hinting at a unique extraction potential that could boost efficiency.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has been a vocal champion, calling the GraphiteOne project the biggest of its kind in North America during his State of the State address earlier this year.
Dunleavy’s push for support from both Juneau and Washington shows a rare unity in recognizing Alaska’s role in securing America’s future, far from the usual bureaucratic gridlock.
GraphiteOne President Anthony Huston didn’t mince words, praising Dunleavy for grasping “the role of Alaska as a crucial American source of metals and minerals transforming the 21st century” and curbing reliance on questionable foreign entities.
Huston also called this find a “truly generational deposit,” and it’s hard to argue when you see materials from Graphite Creek slated for processing at a cutting-edge plant in Ohio for graphite and battery components.
With two materials at the site qualifying under the Defense Production Act, this isn’t just about economics—it’s about national security, plain and simple.
While progressive policies often prioritize global cooperation over domestic strength, this project offers a chance to rebuild American self-reliance without the usual ideological baggage.
Meanwhile, outside Alaska, REEs have popped up in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian anthracite coal deposits, boasting as many as 17 different elements, yet extraction efforts there remain stalled compared to the Last Frontier’s momentum.
Back in 2018, then-Rep. Lou Barletta highlighted funding for a pilot program to pull REEs from coal wastewater in areas like Shamokin to Audenried in Carbon County, but progress has been slower than a government shutdown.
Even with Penn State researchers announcing breakthroughs in recovering cobalt, manganese, and nickel from acid mine drainage and fly ash in September 2025, Alaska’s Graphite Creek remains the brighter beacon for reducing foreign dependence—a win for those who believe America should stand on its own two feet.
