US President Donald Trump has decided it is time to stop relying on imports and has signed an executive order to ramp up the extraction of critical minerals. The list of priority resources includes uranium, copper, potash, gold, and potentially coal.
Federal agencies are now required to swiftly identify promising mining projects and fast-track their approval, all under the watchful eye of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. He will also determine whether the list of critical minerals should be expanded or if coal will remain on hold.
Trump has also added mineral extraction to the roster of national security priorities, invoking the Defense Production Act to bolster the move.
The reason for such steps is clear. Just last year, the US imported nearly half of the copper it used and over 90% of its potash. The uranium situation is even more dramatic—American nuclear power plants are 99% dependent on foreign suppliers. The administration seems to have decided that it is time to mine what is theirs.
The only question now is whether domestic reserves will be enough to turn Trump’s plan into reality.
