The company said it will invest $498 million to develop an underground mine and infrastructure in an area known as the North Rim Skarn.

For the world’s leading economy, securing reliable supplies for these minerals is especially important to not only sustain its dominance but also shed its supply reliance on key rivals like China.

The United States relies heavily on critical minerals sourced overseas, but rising global mineral demand and escalating US-China competition require increased supply chain resiliency.

Battery prices are particularly being impacted by lithium carbonate prices in China, which increased by 55% in May.

The request is the eleventh such action under the North American trade pact.

The global battle to reshape the lithium industry is sucking in oil producers, tech startups and entrenched mining giants.