US Flags 10 New Mining Projects for Fast-Tracked Permitting Under Critical Minerals Push

U.S Critical Minerals Mining

US critical minerals permitting accelerates with second wave of fast-tracked projects

The US government has added 10 new mining and metals projects to its expedited permitting initiative to boost domestic critical mineral supply. Overseen by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, the selected projects include copper, nickel, lithium, uranium, and vanadium developments across Minnesota, New Mexico, and Nevada. Each project is at a different stage in the federal and state permitting pipeline.

Projects span key materials vital to energy, defense, and manufacturing

The newly flagged projects include NewRange's NorthMet copper-nickel project in Minnesota, Energy Fuels’ Roca Honda uranium and vanadium project in New Mexico, and 3PL’s Railroad Valley lithium exploration project in Nevada. These projects will soon appear on the Permitting Council’s dashboard with their respective timelines, providing more transparency and predictability in the permitting process. This is a critical step toward advancing long-term mineral security.

Federal push aligns with broader energy dominance and reshoring agenda

The US critical minerals permitting effort is part of a broader initiative to limit foreign dependence and enhance national security. President Trump’s March executive order instructed federal agencies to identify pending mining projects across 50 USGS-listed critical minerals and additional strategic materials like uranium, copper, potash, and gold. The Permitting Council plans to continue selecting more qualifying projects in the coming months to support reshoring and energy independence goals.

The Metalnomist Commentary

The expanded US critical minerals permitting list highlights a policy shift toward streamlined approvals for strategic mining projects. As geopolitical competition intensifies, these actions could reshape global supply chains by fostering domestic sourcing and reducing exposure to import disruptions.