Why Trump really wants Ukraine's minerals-China has put theirs off limits

Rare minerals such as gallium are critical for advanced defence technologies but are not readily available to the US domestically. And China, a leading supplier of gallium, has used its control over the resource as leverage against the US. It has imposed a ban on rare minerals being exported to the US, as part of its retaliation to increased US tariffs on Chinese goods. The deal also appears not to include Trump's previous demand for rights to US$500 billion (£394 billion) of revenue from Ukraine's rare and critical minerals. But it will help secure American access to what are essential…