Editorial: Mining in America

In 1984, Ronald Reagan’s re-election was cemented by the “Morning in America” TV ad. Its calm narration of people working, buying homes and getting married in a recovering economy helped deliver one of the biggest landslides in U.S. history. Opponent Walter Mondale’s defeat remains the second worst ever. 

Forty years later, the theme could well be “Mining in America,” though there is little calm about it in the Donald Trump White House. Like a metaphor for his presidency, wrecking crews were demolishing the East Wing on the presidential grounds as The Northern Miner print went to press in late October with an edition focused on the United States.   

Trump has moved swiftly in his second term to dismantle many of his predecessor’s initiatives, rolling back programs in climate policy, diversity and environmental protection, while promising to blow up global trade with tariffs. Executive orders followed in rapid succession. 

The White House has withdrawn the United States from the Paris climate accord and halted new wind and solar developments on federal land under Executive Order 14162, citing energy security and cost concerns. Major offshore wind projects have been cancelled, while clean energy tax incentives are being phased out. About $7 billion in green power spending has been cut, with another $22 billion in reductions planned.  

Yet even as clean energy funding dries up, the focus has shifted back to the rocks beneath our feet. Like him or hate him, Trump has done a lot of things for “Mining in America.” 

Executive orders

In March, he signed the executive order titled “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production.” It invoked emergency powers and directed multiple agencies to streamline permitting, identify federal lands with mineral deposits, and leverage federal programs and the Defense Production Act to support domestic mineral output. 

The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council has named more than a dozen projects to the FAST-41 program to receive heightened transparency and expedited review. They include Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite project in Idaho, which has begun construction; Rio Tinto and BHP’s Resolution Copper in Arizona; and Albemarle’s Silver Peak lithium expansion in Nevada. 

In April, Trump issued a separate executive order to accelerate exploration and production of seabed and offshore mineral resources such as nickel, cobalt, copper, titanium and rare earth elements. The order signals a push into deep-sea mining and seeks to bypass or reinterpret international frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the International Seabed Authority, both of which govern activity in the oceans. 

Also that month, Trump signed the executive order “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241.” It positions the fossil fuel as a strategic resource and supports the industry with regulatory changes. 

Critical minerals

In August, the U.S. Department of the Interior released its draft 2025 List of Critical Minerals, which will guide federal investment, tax incentives and permitting decisions in mining and resource recovery from mine waste and stockpiles. The release emphasized the administration’s view that reducing reliance on foreign adversaries for key minerals is central to national security. 

In September, Trump’s administration announced a plan to open about 13 million acres (52,600 sq. km) of federal land to coal mining and provide about $625 million in support for recommissioning coal-fired plants through the Department of the Interior. The move aligns with the earlier coal-industry executive order and expands land access for extraction. 

Last month, Trump approved a major project reversal: the 211-mile (340-km) gravel road in Alaska – the Ambler Road – which had been blocked by the previous administration. It opens access to large copper, cobalt, zinc and other mineral deposits in the Brooks Range region (see above photo). 

Also in October, the administration announced plans to take equity stakes in companies engaged in critical-mineral production and processing – such as MP Materials and Lithium Americas – signalling a more direct government role in the mining and processing industry. 

All along the way the administration has prioritized mining in foreign trade talks, like with Australia, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The latest push in negotiations with China seems to have resolved an impasse over rare earths, at least for now.

Fast tracking

Through these measures, the Trump administration is pursuing a multi-pronged policy: (i) fast-track permitting for mining and processing; (ii) open federal lands and offshore areas for exploration and extraction; (iii) prioritize critical minerals for defence and technology supply chains; (iv) support coal and other domestic extractive industries; and (v) invest federal capital, or take equity, in minerals projects. 

That tariffs have started to raise some prices appears of little concern to Trump. The real-estate dealmaker is always ready to intimidate with tariffs.   

After Reagan’s voice was resurrected from 1987 in a recent C$75-million Ontario ad opposing tariffs, Trump scuttled Washington–Ottawa trade talks and threatened more border taxes. Moderate Reaganite Republicans are out of favour in Washington. Their “Morning in America” has given way to mourning – and retreat – under the wrecking ball. 

And for Trump, it’s all about “Mining in America.” 

This editorial first appeared in The Northern Miner November 2025 Vol 111 Issue 11. View and download the full edition.