The Trump administration has fast-tracked ten mining projects across the United States in a major push to increase domestic production of critical minerals and reduce dependence on foreign supply chains.
The selected projects—covering copper, lithium, gold, potash, coal, bromine, and phosphate—involve major industry players such as Rio Tinto, Hecla Mining, Albemarle, Warrior Met Coal, and Perpetua Resources.
These initiatives form the first wave under President Trump’s executive order aimed at strengthening American mineral independence.
Projects approved for expedited federal permitting include:
Rio Tinto’s Resolution Copper project in Arizona
Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite Gold project in Idaho
Albemarle’s Silver Peak Lithium mine in Nevada
Warrior Met Coal’s Alabama operations
Jindalee’s McDermitt Lithium project in Oregon/Nevada
Caldwell Canyon Phosphate project
Libby and Lisbon Valley Copper projects
South West Arkansas Bromine project
Michigan Potash development
These projects have been added to the federal permitting dashboard under the FAST-41 program, providing public visibility into permitting timelines and environmental review milestones.
This is the first time the permitting council is using its transparency authority under the critical minerals directive.
Manisha Patel, acting executive director of the permitting council, emphasized the importance of the move:
“We look forward to showcasing the many benefits the permitting dashboard can bring to critical infrastructure projects as part of President Trump’s executive order on increasing American mineral production.”
Resolution Copper welcomed the federal recognition of the vital role domestic copper plays in national security, manufacturing, and economic resilience.
“There is growing recognition of the urgent need to develop domestic sources of copper and other critical materials,” said General Manager Vicky Peacey.
She added that the company remains committed to a collaborative process with Tribal Nations, local communities, and other stakeholders.
“More than a decade of extensive consultation has led to significant revisions to our mining plan to protect cultural resources,” Peacey said.
Perpetua Resources CEO Jon Cherry highlighted the national importance of the Stibnite Gold Project, the only U.S. source of antimony—a critical mineral used in defense and energy technologies.
He praised the administration’s focus: “If the U.S. is to compete with China, we must deploy federal tools to level the playing field for domestic mining.”
Cherry also pointed to recent policy tools like the Defense Production Act Title III, US Export-Import Bank’s China Transformational Exports Program, and Make More in America initiative as instrumental in restoring U.S. control over vital mineral supply chains.
The Stibnite project could supply up to 35% of U.S. antimony demand in its first six years, per the 2023 USGS antimony summary. The final federal permit decision is expected in Q2.
Jindalee CEO Ian Rodger celebrated the McDermitt lithium project’s inclusion among the first FAST-41 projects, calling it a validation of the project’s strategic importance.
McDermitt hosts one of the largest lithium resources in the U.S. and is positioned to significantly contribute to the country’s clean energy transition and battery supply chain.
Together, these projects mark a significant step in restoring American mineral independence, while also accelerating the shift toward renewable energy and electrification.
