People collect copper and cobalt stones at an artisanal mine on May 26, 2025 in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo. —Michel Lunanga-Getty ImagesWhen President Donald Trump met China’s leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in May, an economic chokepoint hovered over their negotiations: critical minerals. The global economy was already roiled by the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has blocked nearly 20% of the world’s energy supply. And …