The Trump administration has moved to accelerate domestic mineral production by granting priority permitting status to ten major mining projects under the FAST-41 program, a federal initiative designed to streamline approvals for critical infrastructure. This action, announced by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, is a direct response to President Trump’s March 20 executive order, “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production,” which aims to bolster US supply chains for minerals vital to defense, technology, and clean energy sectors. The effort reflects growing urgency to reduce dependence on foreign mineral imports.
The ten projects—spanning copper, antimony, lithium, potash, gold, and coal—are now listed on the Federal Permitting Dashboard, a public platform that tracks their progress through environmental review and permitting. According to Permitting Council Acting Executive Director Manisha Patel, the Dashboard enhances interagency coordination and provides transparency for project sponsors, communities, and agencies.
List of Priority Projects
The initial group of FAST-41 projects includes:
– Resolution Copper Project (Arizona)
– Stibnite Gold Project (Idaho)
– Warrior Met Coal Mines (Alabama)
– McDermitt Exploration Project (Nevada)
– South West Arkansas Project (Arkansas)
– Caldwell Canyon Mine Project (Utah)
– Libby Exploration Project (Montana)
– Lisbon Valley Copper Project (Utah)
– Silver Peak Lithium Mine (Nevada)
– Michigan Potash Project (Michigan)
The White House has indicated more projects may be added in the coming weeks as part of a rolling review.
While inclusion on the Dashboard does not constitute federal endorsement, funding, or guaranteed approval, it does ensure public oversight and sets clear expectations for all stakeholders. Project status can still change if new information emerges or review requirements shift.
The executive order and permitting reforms are driven by concerns over US reliance on foreign mineral imports, especially from China, which supplies the majority of rare earths and other strategic materials. Recent Chinese export controls on gallium, germanium, and antimony have intensified calls for domestic production. The order invokes the Defense Production Act to fund mining and processing projects, and expands the list of critical minerals to include uranium, copper, potash, and gold.
Among the selected projects, Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite Gold Project in Idaho stands out as the only domestic source of antimony, a metal essential for military and technology applications. With China banning antimony exports to the US, Stibnite could meet up to 35% of national demand in its first six years of operation, according to the US Geological Survey. The project has already received nearly $75 million in Defense Production Act funding and a $1.8 billion letter of interest from the US Export-Import Bank, with the final federal permit expected by mid-2025.
