US Adds 10 Mining Projects to Fast-Track Approval List, Involving Copper, Palladium, and Other Minerals

According to a report from Mining.com, the Trump administration announced on the 2nd that, to expand the production of critical minerals in the US, it would add 10 more domestic mining projects to its expedited approval list.

The 10 newly added mining projects involve copper, palladium, and other minerals, and will be eligible for FAST-41 treatment, a policy implemented by the US government in 2015 to expedite the approval of critical infrastructure projects.

Last month, the US government had already preliminarily included 10 projects on the list, and more projects may be added in the future.

All these projects will be publicly listed on the US federal government website, and their approval processes can be publicly tracked. The authorities claim that this will enhance transparency and expedite the approval process.

The latest 10 projects include: a joint copper-nickel mine venture between Glencore and Teck Resources in Minnesota, a uranium mine by Energy Fuels in New Mexico, a palladium mine by Sibanye Stillwater in Montana, a silver mine by Hecla Mining Company in Alaska, and a titanium dioxide project by Chemours in Georgia.

South32's Hermosa manganese-zinc project in Arizona, which had received expedited approval under former President Biden, is also the first mine to be eligible for FAST-41 treatment.

In addition, President Trump ordered an investigation last month into the import of critical minerals into the US, with the aim of assessing the possibility of imposing tariffs.