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Trump administration fast-tracks 10 mining projects in critical minerals push

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump

9th May 2025

By: Mariaan Webb

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

     

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The Trump administration has moved to expedite permitting for ten mining projects across the US as part of a broader effort to boost domestic production of critical minerals and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

The selected projects – spanning copper, lithium, gold, potash, and coal – include developments by companies such as Rio Tinto, Hecla Mining, Albemarle, Warrior Met Coal and Perpetua Resources.

They represent the first wave of initiatives under President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aimed at increasing American mineral production.

Projects greenlit for fast-track permitting include Rio Tinto’s Resolution Copper project in Arizona, Perpetua’s Stibnite gold project in Idaho, Albemarle’s Silver Peak lithium mine in Nevada, and Warrior Met Coal’s Alabama operations.

Also on the list are the McDermitt lithium exploration project, Caldwell Canyon phosphate project, Libby and Lisbon Valley copper projects, the South West Arkansas bromine project, and the Michigan potash development.

The projects have been added to the federal permitting dashboard under the FAST-41 programme, providing increased transparency and accountability in the federal environmental review process. This marks the first use of the council’s transparency authority under the critical minerals directive.

“We look forward to showcasing the many benefits the federal permitting dashboard can bring to critical infrastructure projects as part of President Trump’s executive order on increasing American mineral production,” said acting executive director at the permitting council Manisha Patel.

The designation makes permitting timelines and review milestones for each project publicly available.

Resolution Copper said that it appreciated the federal government’s recognition of the role domestic copper production played in supporting national security, manufacturing, and economic resilience.

“There is growing recognition of the urgent need to develop domestic sources of copper and other critical materials to support the nation’s energy security and industrial base,” said Resolution Copper GM Vicky Peacey. “We are committed to playing a meaningful role in helping to deliver these materials and will continue to engage constructively in the national dialogue.”

Peacey said Resolution remained committed to an inclusive and respectful collaborative process that incorporates feedback from local communities, Tribal Nations and all stakeholders.

“More than a decade of extensive consultation and collaboration with Native American Tribes and local communities has directly led to major changes to the mining plan to preserve and reduce potential impacts on cultural interests, and this ongoing dialogue will continue to shape the project.”

Meanwhile, Perpetua president and CEO Jon Cherry said that being recognised as a transparency project by the White House underscored the strategic value of the Stibnite gold project, which is uniquely positioned to supply the critical mineral antimony – essential to national security and energy technology.

He said Trump’s executive order was right to recognise that if the US was going to compete against China, it had to deploy federal tools to even the playing field for domestic mining projects.

“Defense Production Act Title III awards, the US Export-Import Bank’s China Transformational Exports Programme and Make More in America initiative, and other programmes that extend capital for critical mineral production can help meaningfully push back against China’s attempts to clinch global control over critical minerals.” Cherry stated.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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