President Donald J. Trump Takes Immediate Action to Increase American Mineral Production – ]

ACCELERATING DOMESTIC MINERAL PRODUCTION: In a bold move today, President Donald J. Trump enacted an Executive Order aimed at ramping up American mineral production, streamlining the permitting process, and reinforcing national security.

• Federal agencies are instructed to compile a comprehensive inventory of all mineral production projects that have submitted a plan of operations, permit application, or any other approval request. This initiative aims to expedite the review and advancement of these projects in sync with the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC).

  • Furthermore, additional mineral production endeavors will be assessed for FAST-41 status to facilitate the permitting process.

• New recommendations will be submitted to Congress concerning the management of waste rock, tailings, and mine waste disposal in accordance with the Mining Act of 1872.
• The Secretary of the Interior is directed to prioritize mineral production activities over other projects on Federal lands that contain valuable mineral deposits.

  • The Secretaries of Defense, Energy, Agriculture, and the Interior will work together to identify more sites suitable for mineral production that can be permitted swiftly.

• The Defense Production Act (DPA) will be utilized to bolster domestic mineral production capacity.
• The government will provide financing, loans, and investment support for new mineral production ventures, including a dedicated critical minerals fund established in partnership with the United States International Development Finance Corporation and the Department of Defense.
• The Trump Administration will collaborate with private industry to ensure a robust and resilient domestic supply chain for critical materials, including essential minerals.
• The term “minerals” in this order encompasses critical minerals, uranium, copper, potash, gold, and any other material deemed significant by the Chair of the NEDC, such as coal.

ENSURING AMERICA’S MINERAL FUTURE: President Trump’s initiative to enhance domestic mineral production seeks to lessen U.S. dependence on foreign sources, bolster national security, and generate employment opportunities.

• The demand for critical minerals has been characterized as the “gold rush of the 21^st century,” reflecting their crucial role in emerging technologies.
• The United States currently relies heavily on imports for a substantial portion of its minerals, creating both economic vulnerabilities and national security threats, despite having a wealth of critical mineral resources.
  • At least 15 critical minerals are 100% import-dependent, with nonfuel mineral commodities accounting for over half of U.S. consumption.

  • Moreover, U.S. capacity utilization in the metal mining sector has been on a downward trend for years.

• Countries such as China, Iran, and Russia control significant deposits of several minerals vital to the U.S., which poses a national security concern.

  • Notably, 70% of U.S. rare earth imports originate from China.

• Establishing a robust domestic mineral production industry would enable U.S. companies to compete effectively on a global scale without excessive reliance on foreign supply chains.
• Critical minerals are integral to U.S. military readiness and are essential components in advanced technologies like fighter jets, satellites, submarines, smart bombs, and missile guidance systems.

FOCUSING ON U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trump is dedicated to terminating American dependency on adversarial foreign nations for critical minerals.

• Upon resuming office, President Trump promptly signed an Executive Order aimed at positioning the U.S. as “the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals.”
• Additionally, he advanced the Ambler Access Project, a 211-mile industrial road through Northwest Alaska, facilitating commercial mining of copper, zinc, and other essential materials.
• This initiative builds on previous actions taken during President Trump’s first term:
  • In 2017, a Federal strategy was implemented to guarantee secure and reliable supplies of critical minerals.
  • In 2019, five Presidential Determinations were signed, affirming that domestic production of rare earth elements and materials is crucial for national defense.

  • Furthermore, in 2020, a National Emergency was declared to expand the domestic mining industry, support mining jobs, eliminate unnecessary permitting delays, and reduce reliance on China for critical minerals.