U.S. and Russia Eye Arctic Rare Earth Metals to Counter China's Dominance

If relations between Moscow and Washington improve, the development of rare earth metals—particularly the Tomtor deposit in Yakutia—could become a promising area of cooperation, political scientist Valery Konyshev told TASS.

The joint development of rare earth metals, especially the Tomtor field in Yakutia, could emerge as a key avenue for Russian-American cooperation in the Arctic should bilateral relations thaw, according to Konyshev, head of the Department of Comparative Political Studies at the Northwestern Institute of Management under the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA).

"The situation remains highly uncertain—both in the global system and with the Trump administration," Konyshev noted. "Trump himself has been inconsistent in his initiatives, and Russia is still viewed as a military threat to U.S. security in the Arctic, a stance enshrined in doctrine. That said, if we look ahead, such opportunities certainly exist."

When asked about potential areas of Arctic cooperation between Russia and the U.S., Konyshev suggested that Washington could re-engage in Arctic projects it had previously abandoned. "But if we're talking about truly new and breakthrough areas where both sides have an interest, rare earth metals stand out—both extraction and advanced processing."

Currently, China is the only country with a full production cycle for rare earth metals, controlling roughly half of the world's known reserves. "The U.S. faces challenges in accessing these ores and has partially tried to address them through Greenland," Konyshev explained. "Trump has already secured preferential investment rights for Greenland's resource projects, along with expanded military presence. But the bigger issue is technology: estimates suggest the U.S. would need 10–15 years to achieve industrial-scale, cost-effective production."

In the foreseeable future, the U.S. will likely remain dependent on Chinese rare earth supplies. "This dependency will be at the heart of U.S.-China rivalry, which is ultimately about leadership in high technology. If relations improve—even partially—the U.S. may turn to Russia for cooperation," the expert concluded.

Russia's Arctic region is home to the vast Tomtor rare-earth metals deposit, whose ores are the richest in the world. Scientists estimate that even with surging demand, its reserves will last for centuries. "But like the U.S., Russia also lacks full-cycle processing technologies. That's why investment in a joint Russian-American project could be highly promising," says Konychev. "Both sides have already explored the potential for such cooperation." He added that China's near-total dominance in the rare-earth metals market does not align with the interests of many countries.