Overview

• The U.S. Interior Department has set a 14-day deadline for the environmental review of the Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mine in Utah, a significant reduction from the typical years-long process.
• The move is part of President Trump's broader push to bolster domestic critical mineral production under a declared national energy emergency.
• If approved, the mine would produce uranium for nuclear energy and weapons, as well as vanadium for batteries and steel alloys, with minimal new surface disturbance on a previously mined site.
• Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, argue that the compressed review timeline is insufficient to assess long-term contamination risks and plan to challenge the decision in court.
• Anfield Energy, which owns the project and plans to restart a nearby uranium mill, awaits final approval to begin operations as legal and environmental scrutiny intensifies.