Nov 6 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Thursday

unveiled a new list of critical minerals it deems essential to

the U.S. economy and national security, adding copper, which is

vital to electric vehicles, power grids, and data centers, as

well as metallurgical coal, which is used to make coke.

The Interior Department's list guides federal investments

and permitting decisions and helps shape the government's

broader minerals strategy.

The administration is expanding the list amid efforts to

boost domestic mining and cut reliance on imports, particularly

from economic rival China.

The list serves as a blueprint for Washington's push to

secure supplies of materials needed for defense, manufacturing,

and clean energy technologies. It determines which projects

qualify for federal incentives, informs national stockpiling and

research priorities, and signals to private investors where the

government sees long-term strategic value.

Officials and industry leaders say strengthening domestic

production could help insulate the U.S. from potential supply

shocks or export restrictions imposed by competitors like China,

which dominates global refining of many critical minerals.

"Critical minerals are essential for national security,

economic stability, and supply-chain resilience because they

underpin key industries, drive technological innovation, and

support critical infrastructure vital for a modern American

economy," the Interior Department said in announcing the list.

Copper is used widely across the global economy in power

generation, electronics and construction.

Freeport-McMoRan ( FCX ), the largest U.S. copper producer

with seven mines and control of one of the country's two

smelters, said earlier this year it could generate more than

$500 million annually in tax credits tied to the 2022 U.S.

Inflation Reduction Act if the red metal were declared critical

by Washington.

The Phoenix-based company was not immediately available to

comment on Thursday.

The average grade, or percentage of copper in rock deposits,

in Freeport's U.S. mines is lower than elsewhere, boosting costs

and making the U.S. the company's least profitable region. That

fact largely explains why Freeport pushed for the designation.

"We're not looking for handouts, but if the government is

trying to incentivize domestic (copper) production, it's

important to recognize that the U.S. doesn't have the same

grades that we have internationally," Freeport CEO Kathleen

Quirk told Reuters in March.