Trump Fast-Tracks Permitting for Mining Projects

Written by Paul Wiseman for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Trump administration said on Friday it would speed up the permitting for 10 mining projects across the country.

A White House press release said the administration is dedicated "securing a domestic critical minerals supply chain that supports national security, job creation and long-term economic growth."

For related information, see March 24, 2025, article - Trump Order Focuses on Developing Domestic Minerals.

The projects listed under the U.S. Fast-41 program include mines for copper, silver, antimony, lithium, metallurgical coal and others.

• P4 Production LLC's Caldwell Canyon Phosphate Mine in Soda Springs, Idaho. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can click here for the project report.
• Hecla Mining Company's Libby Exploration (Montanore) Silver-Copper Mine and Mill in Montana. Click here for the project report.
• Lisbon Valley Copper Corporation's Above-Ground Copper Mine and In-Situ Recovery Mine Addition in Utah. Click here for the project report.
• Jindalee Lithium Limited's Above-Ground Clay Lithium Mine and Processing Plant in Oregon. Click here for the project report.
• Michigan Potash and Salt Company's Potash Solution Mine and Processing Plant in Michigan. Click here for the project report.
• Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton's Resolution Underground Copper Mine Restart in Superior, Arizona. Click here for the project report.
• Albemarle's Silverpeak Lithium Solution Mine and Processing Plant Expansion in Nevada. Click here for the project report.
• Standard Lithium Limited's South West Arkansas Lithium Brine Mine and Plant in Arkansas. Click here for the project report.
• Perpetua Resources' Above-Ground Gold Antimony Mine and Mill Restoration/Redevelopment in Idaho. Click here for the project report.
• Warrior Met Coal's Berry Blue Creek Energy No. 1 Underground Coal Mine Expansion in Alabama. Click here for the project report.

Also being fast tracked is South32's Hermosa Zinc, Lead & Silver Mine and Mill in Patagonia, Arizona, which was placed on the list during the Biden administration. Click here for the project report

Joe Govreau, Industrial Info's vice president of research metals & minerals, noted that none of the projects involve the mining of rare earth minerals. China has restricted its exports of seven rare earth minerals. For more on that, see April 21, 2025, article - Get Ready: China's Rare Earth Restrictions and Trump's Critical Minerals Order.

Govreau also observed that the Fast-41 designation does not necessarily mean the minerals will begin emerging any time soon.

Referring to South 32's Patagonia, Arizona, lead-zinc-silver mine and mill, Govreau said, "Note that the federal permitting is not scheduled for completion on that project until July 2026. And that doesn't account for any other state or other local permitting that is required, not to mention financing, all of which are needed before the project can be constructed, which takes another two years. Given that, these projects will most likely not start having any impact on production of these critical minerals until the end of the decade at the earliest."

The realities of possible state and local delays will come into play for all of the Fast-41 projects, some of which have already faced years of litigation, Govreau said. Indeed, the government website listing the projects features a disclaimer designed to inject reality into expectations. It warns, "It is important to note that a project's inclusion on the Permitting Dashboard does not imply Federal endorsement of or support for the project or create a presumption that a covered project will be approved, favorably reviewed by any agency, or receive Federal funding." The note adds that any project could be reconsidered due to changes in the scope of the federal review.

A case in point would be the Resolution copper mine in Superior, Arizona, which has gone through various states of permitting and litigation since 2004. A large, high-grade copper-molybdenum deposit at the site was discovered in 1995. Since 2004, although some preliminary work has been done, BHP (originally a combination of Rio Tinto and BHP) has faced opposition from the U.S. government (having been denied permitting under both Obama and Biden administrations), Native American tribes and environmental groups that were concerned about its possible impact on sacred lands and the environment.

Here is a timeline of the Resolution project's issues:

• 1995: The Resolution copper deposit is discovered near Oak Flat Campground in Arizona.
• 2004: Rio Tinto and BHP form Resolution Copper to explore the deposit.
• 2009: Rio Tinto begins digging a 7,000-foot mine shaft.
• 2013: Resolution Copper starts the U.S. permitting process.
• 2015: A land exchange is passed by Congress, allowing Resolution Copper to take over Oak Flat.
• 2021: A final environmental impact statement (FEIS) is published, and the land exchange is set to proceed.

Similarly, the operators of the Soda Springs phosphate mine in southeast Idaho began some site work but halted the main construction due to litigation over permitting, according to Industrial Info data.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).