Hundreds of private mining and processing companies are in talks with the White House regarding deals, a senior administration official said, as President Donald Trump tries to secure a domestic critical mineral supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign imports.

The Trump administration has moved recently to acquire stakes in multiple critical minerals and rare earth mining companies, transactions that could prove critical to its success but that represent an unusual form of direct federal government involvement in private business affairs. Both the administration and the industry view these investments as crucial to lessening China’s chokehold on the supply chain for critical minerals, which are key for battery systems, electric vehicles, and energy infrastructure.