Wyoming is leading on critical mineral independence

Earlier this month, I had the honor of standing in Ranchester, Wyo., witnessing a moment that will reshape America’s energy and national security landscape for generations to come. The opening of the Ramaco Brook Mine Carbon Ore Rare Earth project marks not just a milestone for Wyoming, but a turning point for our nation’s strategic independence.

This isn’t just another mining operation. The Ramaco Brook Mine represents the first new rare earth mine in the U.S. in more than 70 years, and the first new coal mine in Wyoming in more than 50 years.  

Standing alongside Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, my colleague Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Gov. Mark Gordon, Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), and former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W,Va.), I witnessed firsthand America taking a crucial step toward breaking our dangerous dependence on foreign critical minerals. 

The reality is stark: China controls roughly 80 percent of the global rare earth supply chain. This stranglehold poses a serious threat to our national security, future economic prosperity, and U.S. technological leadership. Every smartphone in your pocket, every piece of advanced manufacturing equipment, every precision-guided missile in our military arsenal, and every satellite in our networks depend on these critical minerals. 

Most Americans don’t realize how dangerously dependent we are on other nations to power our lives. Mining critical minerals domestically puts us back in the driver’s seat. 

The rare earth elements and critical minerals extracted from Wyoming’s soil will power the artificial intelligence systems, secure the digital asset networks revolutionizing our financial systems, and strengthen the defense technologies keeping America safe. 

Simply put, critical minerals drive modern life in America.  

Washington red tape and costly regulatory obstacles allowed China to step in and dominate this market while our own abundant resources remained locked in the ground.  

The Ramaco Brook Mine changes that equation. This project demonstrates that American ingenuity, coupled with Wyoming’s abundant natural resources and business-friendly environment, can compete with and ultimately surpass foreign competitors. Wyoming has always been America’s energy powerhouse, and now we’re proving that Wyoming’s energy dominance extends beyond oil, gas and coal. Our critical minerals will also help define the next century.

We cannot allow China to maintain their chokehold on these materials. The Chinese Communist Party has already weaponized rare earth exports, threatening to cut off supplies to countries that oppose their aggressive policies. Now imagine if they controlled the materials necessary for our military’s most advanced weapons systems, or if they could cripple our technology sector by restricting access to the elements that power our digital economy.

The technology sector understands this urgency. As AI impacts every industry from health care to manufacturing, the demand for rare earth elements will continue to increase.  

President Trump’s energy dominance agenda prioritizes securing America’s critical mineral supply chains. The Ramaco Brook Mine is a powerful physical reminder that America will not cede critical mineral production to China.   

But this is just the beginning. We must continue removing the regulatory barriers that have prevented America from developing our vast mineral wealth. Streamlining permitting processes and supporting necessary research and development is vital to maintain our technological mining edge. 

China spent decades building their rare earth dominance while America looked the other way. It’s time to wake up and change course. The future of American technological leadership, military superiority and economic prosperity depends on our ability to control our own mineral supply chains. 

Standing in northern Wyoming, surrounded by the advanced machinery and expertise that will extract these critical materials from Wyoming soil, I saw America’s future — and it’s bright.

America’s critical minerals independence begins in Wyoming, and it begins now. President Trump and his administration have made it possible by making it clear that America will not continue to make the same mistakes. 

The Ramaco Brook Mine is more than a mine —  it’s a declaration of American energy independence for the 21st century. Wyoming is proud to lead this charge, and I’m proud to stand with the Wyoming miners making it possible.

Cynthia Lummis represents Wyoming in the U.S. Senate. She serves as chair of the Senate Western Caucus.