Boosting Domestic Mineral Production

Executive Order on Domestic Mineral Drilling

Date Signed: March 20, 2025

Signed by: President Donald J. Trump

Why it Matters: There is growing concern among certain leaders that the United States' reliance on foreign mineral production weakeness is global position for certain critical items like microchips, weapons production, and infrastructure materials like copper lines for transmission cables. However, mineral production can create unwanted byproducts like toxins in the environment and drinking water. 

Executive Summary

This executive order aims to increase domestic mineral production by expediting permit approvals, enhancing land use for mining projects, and promoting private and public capital investment. The order outlines steps to reduce regulatory obstacles and strengthen the United States' mineral supply chain.

Key Provisions

• Priority Projects (Section 3)

• Within 10 days, federal agencies involved in mineral production permitting must submit a list of pending mineral projects to the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) (Sec. 3(a)).
• Identified priority projects must be expedited for approval (Sec. 3(a)).
• Mineral production projects may be added to the Permitting Dashboard for improved transparency and faster review timelines (Sec. 3(b)).
• Industry feedback will be solicited to identify regulatory obstacles and strategies for accelerating domestic mineral production (Sec. 3(c)).

• Mining Act of 1872 (Section 4)

• Within 30 days, the Chair of the NEDC and the Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs must submit recommendations to Congress on the disposal of mining waste materials under the Mining Act of 1872 (Sec. 4).

• Land Use for Mineral Projects (Section 5)

• Within 10 days, the Secretary of the Interior must identify federal lands rich in mineral deposits and prioritize their use for mining projects. These land use plans will be updated as needed to align with this order's goals (Sec. 5(a)).
• Within 30 days, multiple departments must identify as many suitable federal lands as possible for commercial mineral production. These sites will focus on locations where projects can be fully permitted and operational as soon as possible (Sec. 5(b)).
• The Department of Defense and Department of Energy are directed to enter into leases with private entities for the development of mineral production facilities. These efforts can involve modifying existing structures or building new facilities (Sec. 5(c)).
• Financial support for private companies investing in mineral production will be enhanced by leveraging favorable public assistance programs. This includes loans, technical support, and working capital to promote mineral project success (Sec. 5(d)).

• Accelerating Private and Public Capital Investment (Section 6)

• The Department of Defense will use the National Security Capital Forum to connect private capital with viable mineral production projects. This effort aims to maximize financial investment in domestic mining ventures (Sec. 6(a)).
• The Secretary of Defense is granted authority to use the Defense Production Act (DPA) to support mineral production initiatives. Mineral production will be added as a priority for the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program (Sec. 6(b)).
• The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will implement strategies to fund mineral production projects through loans, grants, and investment tools. These funds are intended to support new and existing mineral projects crucial to national security (Sec. 6(d)).
• The Export-Import Bank will provide program guidance for financing mineral production under established initiatives such as the Supply Chain Resiliency Initiative. This includes ensuring U.S. companies secure reliable sources of raw mineral feedstock for domestic processing (Sec. 6(f)).
• The Small Business Administration will propose legislative recommendations and issue guidance to help small businesses engaged in mineral production. The Administrator will outline specific steps to promote capital access for small mining enterprises (Sec. 6(h)).

Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/immediate-measures-to-increase-american-mineral-production/