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yesterday

U.S. Opens First Rare Earth Mine in 70 Years as Pentagon Invests $400 Million

It breaks China’s chokehold on rare earths to safeguard critical U.S. technology supply chains.

UNITED STATES - MAY 14: Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., arrives for a vote in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Ramaco Brook Mine in Sheridan, Wyoming, is the first U.S. rare earth extraction site to break ground since the 1950s and holds 1.7 million tons of oxides.
  • Construction has commenced following groundbreaking ceremonies attended by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis.
  • The Department of Defense’s $400 million stock purchase in MP Materials supports the only operational U.S. rare earth mine to reduce reliance on foreign sources.
  • Federal backing includes Department of Energy support and Trump administration policy changes aimed at accelerating domestic critical mineral production.
  • Economic analyses forecast that the Brook Mine could meet up to 5 percent of U.S. permanent magnet demand by 2027 and deliver substantial returns.