Ramaco Brook mine expansion doubles coal and rare earth ambitions

Ramaco

The Ramaco Brook mine expansion will more than double planned coal and critical minerals output in Wyoming. Ramaco Brook mine expansion plans lift targeted thermal coal output to 5mn short tons a year by 2029. As a result, the Ramaco Brook mine expansion places the Brook project at the centre of Ramaco’s US growth story.

Ramaco Brook mine expansion transforms Powder River coal profile

Ramaco is using the Ramaco Brook mine expansion to scale its first Powder River basin operation. The company has raised its coal production target from 2mn short tons a year to a 5mn short ton base.

This new plan assumes mine ramp-up through 2029 under supportive market conditions. However, Ramaco also highlights upside potential to 8mn–10mn short tons a year if demand justifies it. The board has authorised management to start preparations for this larger profile.

Regulatory capacity still constrains near-term production despite the ambitious Ramaco Brook mine expansion. The current permit allows up to 2.5mn short tons of sub-bituminous coal per year. Therefore, Ramaco will “actively engage” state and federal regulators to extend approvals across nearly 16,000 acres, up from about 4,500 acres today.

Ramaco Brook mine expansion boosts US rare earth and oxide output

The Ramaco Brook mine expansion also significantly upgrades the project’s critical mineral ambitions. Planned rare earth and critical mineral oxide output has risen from 1,240 short tons a year to 3,400 short tons.

This increased target supports a mine life exceeding 60 years at higher production levels. Meanwhile, Ramaco is adjusting designs for its oxide processing plant to handle greater throughput. The company expects to start operating an oxide pilot plant later this year.

Construction of a commercial-scale processing facility is scheduled to begin in 2026, aligning with the broader Ramaco Brook mine expansion timeline. At the corporate level, Brook complements Ramaco’s metallurgical coal operations in West Virginia and Virginia, which produced 3.5mn short tons in 2024. As a result, Ramaco evolves from a pure met coal producer into a hybrid coal and critical minerals company.

The Metalnomist Commentary

Brook’s redesign confirms that coal basins can also be platforms for US rare earth and critical mineral strategies. If Ramaco secures permits and funding on schedule, the Ramaco Brook mine expansion could become a notable domestic source of both power coal and strategic oxides. Market participants should track permit amendments, offtake discussions and the performance of the oxide pilot plant as key de-risking milestones.