The Trump administration has fast-tracked the permitting process for ten mining projects across the United States to bump its domestic production of critical minerals.
Announced on Friday, the selected projects span multiple different minerals, including copper, lithium, gold, potash, and coal. It also includes developments from companies like Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO), Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL), Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), Warrior Met Coal (NYSE: HCC) and Perpetua Resources Corp. (TSE: PPTA) (NASDAQ: PPTA).
President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to boost American mineral production has triggered a wave of new initiatives.
Regulators fast-tracked permits for Rio Tinto’s Resolution Copper project in Arizona and Perpetua’s Stibnite gold project in Idaho. They also approved Albemarle’s Silver Peak lithium mine in Nevada and Warrior Met Coal’s Alabama operations for streamlined permitting. Other greenlit projects include the McDermitt lithium exploration site and the Caldwell Canyon phosphate development. Officials also advanced the Libby and Lisbon Valley copper projects. The South West Arkansas bromine project and Michigan’s potash development joined the fast-track list as well.
Officials have also added the projects to the federal permitting dashboard under the FAST-41 program. The move increases transparency and accountability in the federal environmental review process. It also marks the council’s first use of its 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 Manisha Patel, the acting executive director at the permitting council.
Furthermore, the designation adds transparency to permitting timelines and reviews for each project by making them publicly available.
Read more: NevGold pulls critical mineral antimony from Limo Butte property in Nevada
Read more: NevGold uncovers high-grade multi-metallic mineralization in Idaho
China produces half of the world’s antimony
Resolution Copper welcomed the federal government’s recognition of domestic copper production as vital to national security, manufacturing, and economic strength.
General Manager Vicky Peacey said the growing urgency to develop domestic sources of copper and other critical materials highlights their role in energy security and the industrial base. She further emphasized the company’s commitment to helping deliver those materials and to participating constructively in national discussions.
Peacey added that Resolution Copper remains dedicated to a respectful, inclusive process that values input from local communities.
Perpetua Resources’ CEO, Jon Cherry, emphasized that the White House’s designation of the Stibnite Gold Project as a transparency project underscores its strategic importance. The Stibnite project is uniquely positioned to supply antimony, a critical mineral essential for national security and energy technologies. Additionally, Cherry noted that President Trump’s executive order rightly acknowledges the necessity of deploying federal tools to support domestic mining projects.
China currently produces approximately half of the world’s antimony. Furthermore, recent export restrictions imposed by China have disrupted global supply chains, prompting the United States to seek alternative domestic sources. Consequently, several companies are advancing antimony production within the U.S.
NevGold Corp (CVE: NAU) (OTCMKTS: NAUFF) (FRA: 5E50) has reported significant gold-antimony mineralization at its Limousine Butte Project in Nevada, with samples containing up to 10 per cent antimony. United States Antimony Corp (NYSE: UAMY) is also expanding operations at its Montana smelter to increase domestic antimony supply.
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