Banking Executive Attempts to Persuade Pope on Rare Earth Mining

WHO:

NY Post - Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met with Pope Leo XIV.

ABC News World - Ilan Goldfajn is identified as the head of Latin America’s top development bank.

WHAT:

NY Post - Goldfajn asserted the potential of rare earth mining during his meeting with the pope.

ABC News World - Goldfajn made a case to Pope Leo XIV about the potential of rare earth mining.

WHERE:

NY Post - The meeting took place privately, though the specific location is not mentioned.

ABC News World - The meeting occurred at the Vatican, where Pope Leo XIV is based.

WHEN:

NY Post - The meeting took place on a Friday, though the specific date is not provided.

ABC News World - The meeting occurred on a Friday, but no specific date is mentioned.

WHY:

NY Post - Goldfajn aimed to persuade the pope about the benefits of rare earth mining to support the tech boom.

ABC News World - The motivation behind Goldfajn's meeting was to discuss the potential benefits of rare earth mining.

HOW:

NY Post - Goldfajn attempted to sell the idea of rare earth mining to the pope, indicating a persuasive approach.

ABC News World - Goldfajn presented arguments regarding the potential of rare earth mining during his discussion with the pope.

(UPDATED June 20, 2026 21:19 UTC)

Ilan Goldfajn, the head of the Inter-American Development Bank, recently met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to discuss the potential benefits of rare earth mining. During this private meeting, Goldfajn made a persuasive case for how rare earth mining could support the tech boom. His goal was to highlight the importance of this resource in driving economic growth and innovation in Latin America.