President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at accelerating domestic production of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and graphite. The order also covers minerals such as uranium, potash and copper.
Several federal agencies must submit within 10 days a list of all mineral production projects that are currently under review to the chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, per the order. The agencies will then have an additional 10 days to identify projects and permits that can be immediately approved.
The order also calls for the Secretary of the Interior to prioritize mineral production over other activities on federal land with established deposits and reserves. Per the order, the Secretary of the Interior has 10 days to deliver a list of federal land that meet that criteria to the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs.
The Department of the Interior and other agencies will also identify additional sites for potential mineral production, according to a White House fact sheet. Furthermore, in the next 30 days, the Trump administration plans to establish a dedicated fund to support domestic investments in critical mineral production, per the order.
Thursday’s order would cover minerals that are used in the production of items like semiconductor wafers, microprocessors and electric vehicle batteries.
Trump has made boosting domestic sourcing and manufacturing a priority for his administration. While tariffs have been a key lever in that strategy, the president has also ordered reviews of the U.S. wood supply chain and copper imports.
