Mapping the Vein: The Defense Industry’s New Reckoning with Mineral Sourcing
Federal rules are finally shutting down the waiver factory, forcing contractors to care where their dirt comes from.
For decades, defense contractors relied on easy waivers to buy cheap minerals from overseas. New regulations are ending that era, forcing a painful but necessary pivot toward domestic mines.
Prospector Hale
August 5, 2026
5 min