Mining.com, citing a Reuters report, revealed that the United States announced on Friday (April 18) the expedited review of 10 domestic mining projects, part of President Trump’s push to expand critical mineral production.
These projects – involving copper, antimony, and other minerals – have been granted FAST-41 status, a federal program launched in 2015 to streamline approvals for critical infrastructure.
The White House stated that additional projects would be added to the list.
The 10 initial projects, now publicly trackable on a U.S. federal website, aim to enhance transparency and accelerate permitting, according to the Trump administration.
“This transparency improves accountability and ensures a more efficient process,” the White House said in a statement.
Key Projects Include:
Perpetua Resources (Idaho): Antimony-gold project.
Rio Tinto (Arizona): Resolution Copper mine.
Hecla Mining (Montana): Copper-silver project.
Standard Lithium (Arkansas): Direct lithium extraction.
Warrior Met Coal (Alabama): Coking coal project (used in steelmaking).
Perpetua Resources called its selection “an honor… underscoring our project’s urgency and importance to U.S. economic and national security.”
Rio Tinto emphasized that its Resolution Copper project is “vital to boosting domestic supply for America’s energy future and infrastructure needs.”
Albemarle expressed eagerness to “further engage with authorities to advance the U.S. lithium supply chain.”
Standard Lithium and Warrior Met Coal did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
South32’s Hermosa zinc-manganese project (Arizona), the first mine to receive FAST-41 status, was previously championed by President Biden.
Earlier last week, Trump ordered a review of potential tariffs on critical mineral imports—a significant escalation in trade tensions.
Source: https://geoglobal.mnr.gov.cn/zx/kczygl/zcdt/202504/t20250421_9310532.htm
