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Teck Resources is holding talks with the US and Canada about supplying minerals key to their defence industries, if it can obtain support such as minimum prices and agreements to buy.

Negotiations about the possible supply of germanium, antimony and gallium, which were disclosed by Teck chief executive Jonathan Price on Friday, come as western countries face tightening export restrictions imposed by China on the niche minerals.

Price said the Vancouver-based company — which is in the middle of a $50bn merger with Anglo American — was in active conversations with US and Canadian officials as it considered whether to extend the life of its Red Dog zinc mine in Alaska, which produces germanium as a byproduct.

“We believe we can produce enough germanium to supply all of the needs of North America and potentially all of the needs of the G7 countries,” Price told the FT Metals and Mining Summit on Friday. The company was talking to the governments about the “potential for price floors” and “stockpiling” arrangements, he added.

The comments came just a day after China unveiled sweeping new export restrictions on rare earth metals and permanent magnets, which are also used in defence applications.

Chinese export restrictions have this year pushed the price of germanium, which is essential to the production of thermal imaging systems used in military equipment such as fighter jets, to the highest level in at least 14 years.

Teck is the world’s fourth-largest producer of germanium, and produces a small amount of antimony. It could potentially produce much more of the minerals — and add gallium — by reconfiguring its processing operations.

China had used its dominance in the markets “to some extent as a coercive tool in trade relationships”, Price said.

The US’s response to Beijing’s dominance of the critical supply chains has included taking equity stakes in some mining companies. Price said such direct government equity investment was not “necessarily a path that we need to be going down”.

Separately, Price said he took personal responsibility for a major downgrade of production guidance at its flagship copper mine in Chile.

He said he was enhancing his oversight of operations, and that the “intrinsic value” of the Quebrada Blanca mine was “very much intact”.

“I’ve taken a far more direct, more hands-on role over the last couple of months,” Price added.

Pharmacy is entering a period of rapid transformation, driven by new technologies, evolving practice models, and expanding opportunities beyond traditional roles. In this issue of Pharmacy Careers, thought leaders and innovators share how the profession is adapting to meet changing health care needs. These perspectives illustrate the breadth of pharmacy’s future and the skills needed to thrive in an evolving landscape.

In the Cover Feature, Steven Smoke, PharmD, explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping health care and what this transformation means for the pharmacy profession. AI has already demonstrated many capabilities, from predicting patient outcomes using electronic health record data to interpreting medical imaging, and pharmacy’s future in the AI era lies in leveraging this technology to expand pharmacist expertise, bridge critical gaps, and improve patient outcomes.

In an Influencer feature, Emily Griffin, BPharm (hons), GradCertPharmPracInt, MClinPharm, MPS-AACPA, discusses how she uses her Instagram platform, The Encapsuled Pharmacist, to foster community, support colleagues facing workplace challenges, and advocate for evidence-based practice. She emphasizes the importance of communication, adaptability, and professional integrity in clinical practice and online, noting that pharmacists must embrace soft skills alongside technical expertise to thrive in an evolving health care landscape. She also explains how she addresses gaps in accessibility, professional development, and misinformation through her consultancy, Encapsuled.

In a Viewpoints article, Juliett Bartecki describes the fast-growing field of psychedelic medicine. To embrace the change, pharmacists must first understand the truth behind common myths. Bartecki explains that evidence shows that when used carefully by health care professionals, these substances can help treat patients with mental health conditions, such as severe depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. For pharmacy students, preemptively learning about psychedelics can ensure they are ready to guide patients safely into this new era of medicine.

The future of pharmacy will be defined by innovation, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace new frontiers and changes in patient care. Whether through the integration of AI, the expansion of pharmacists’ voices on digital platforms, or the careful exploration of emerging therapies such as psychedelic medicine, pharmacy continues to evolve in ways that extend its reach and impact. By cultivating both technical expertise and essential soft skills, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to lead in this era of transformation by bridging gaps, supporting communities, and shaping a more responsive and forward-looking health care system.