Critical Mineral Dominance Act

The Critical Mineral Dominance Act proposes to accelerate the domestic production of hardrock minerals by requiring the Department of the Interior to identify and fast-track mining projects on federal lands. If enacted, the bill would direct officials to prioritize projects that can quickly become operational and those that would most significantly reduce U.S. reliance on foreign mineral supplies. This includes expanding existing operations to capture mineral byproducts and extracting resources from mine waste or coal leftovers.

The legislation would also require the federal government to review and potentially remove agency regulations that are seen as burdensome to the mining industry. Additionally, the Department of the Interior would be tasked with reviewing state and local laws that might hinder mineral exploration and recommending changes to federal law to further expand production. For everyday citizens, these changes could lead to increased industrial activity on public lands and a shift in how environmental and land-use regulations are applied to mining operations.