The United States, Japan, Australia, and India, collectively known as the Quad, have announced the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative aimed at securing and diversifying supply chains for critical minerals, including rare earth elements. This initiative was unveiled during the Quad foreign ministers' meeting held in Washington in mid-2025. The collaboration seeks to address concerns over China's dominance in the supply and processing of minerals vital to new technologies and the Indo-Pacific region. The partners agreed to strengthen cooperation on the stable supply of these resources and to build a new framework for critical mineral procurement. The initiative also involves engagement with private sector leaders from the four countries to enhance supply chain resilience. While the effort is positioned as a strategic move to counterbalance China's influence, some Chinese experts have expressed skepticism about its feasibility and practical outcomes. The U.S. State Department highlighted the importance of reducing reliance on any single country for refining and processing critical minerals in the Indo-Pacific region.