Trump Administration Permits 10 Mining Projects, to Cut Reliance on China Initiative Accelerates Critical Mineral Production to Boost U.S. Supply Chain Security.

 

The Trump administration announced on April 18 a major push to boost domestic critical mineral production by fast-tracking permits for 10 mining projects under the federal FAST-41 infrastructure initiative.

This move, led by the Department of the Interior and the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, follows a March 20 executive order from President Trump urging immediate action to secure U.S. access to vital mineral resources essential for national security and economic resilience.

“Our national and economic security are acutely threatened by reliance on hostile foreign powers for minerals,” Trump stated in the order. “The U.S. must act now to maximize domestic mineral production.”

The selected projects include operations in lithium, copper, phosphate, potash, and metallurgical coal—critical for defense, batteries, and high-tech manufacturing.

Key projects receiving FAST-41 designation include:

• Rio Tinto’s Resolution Copper Project (Arizona)

• Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite Gold Project (Idaho)

• Albemarle’s Silver Peak Lithium Mine expansion (Nevada)

• Standard Lithium’s South West Arkansas brine project

These projects will benefit from streamlined environmental reviews and clearer permitting timelines through the federal dashboard.