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Today, Explained

The minerals that rule our world

Tue, 27 May 2025

Description

The race to control critical mineral deposits has become a major driver of US foreign policy -- and is redrawing global alliances. This episode was made in partnership with Vox’s Future Perfect team. It was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. Mining for chromite at the Mughulkhil mine in Logar Province, Afghanistan. Photo by MARCUS YAM / LOS ANGELES TIMES). Help us plan for the future of Today, Explained by filling out a brief survey: voxmedia.com/survey. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Audio
Transcription

What is the significance of critical minerals in US foreign policy?

34.676 - 43.701 Unnamed Expert

We believe it's possible to extract enormous amounts of critical minerals and rare earths, which you know we need for technology and high technology in the process.

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43.761 - 53.347 Noel King

In South Africa, Ukraine, China, Greenland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the ocean. What exactly is going on right now? That's coming up on Today Explained.

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60.66 - 75.051 Peter Kafka

This is Peter Kafka, the host of Channels, the show about what happens when media and tech collide. And this week I'm talking to Katie Drummond, who runs Wired. She's found a way to breathe new life into that publication by covering news.

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75.551 - 84.878 Katie Drummond

We started covering Doge, like several stories a day, every single day. And after like a week, I sort of looked around and was like, where is everyone else?

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85.418 - 89.522 Peter Kafka

That's this week on Channels, wherever you listen to your favorite podcast.

94.073 - 106.938 Nilay Patel

Hey, everyone. It's Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of The Verge and host of Decoder, my show about big ideas and other problems. We have a special exclusive episode for you that we're really excited about. It's an interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai. I sat down with Sundar during the Google I.O.

106.958 - 120.083 Nilay Patel

developer conference this year to talk about all of the company's major AI news, as well as the state of the industry, the future of the web, and Google's ongoing antitrust trials. There's a lot going on in this one. I think you're really going to like it. Check out Decoder wherever you get your podcasts.

123.235 - 129.26 Unnamed Expert

Hello, friends. Ready for a new adventure? Today, we're going to learn everything about minerals.

129.84 - 131.221 Noel King

This is Today Explained.

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