Rare Earth Mine Opens in Wyoming, Aiming to Reduce U.S. Reliance on China

The United States has opened its first domestic rare earth mine in 70 years, marking a significant step toward reducing reliance on China for critical minerals. Ramaco’s Brook Mine, located in Ranchester, Wyoming, is set to begin producing ore in the 2028-to-2029 timeframe. Rare earth elements are essential for manufacturing smartphones, electric vehicles, advanced medical devices, oil refining equipment, and military systems like missile guidance.
Currently, China dominates the rare earth mining and processing industry, leveraging decades of development to control 90% of the global market. The U.S. Geological Survey identifies rare earths as critical minerals, and their shortage poses national security risks. The U.S. has only one other operating rare earth mine, the Mountain Pass Mine in California, where the Department of Defense recently purchased a 15% stake worth $400 million to secure rare earth magnets and reduce dependency on China.
Despite the opening of Brook Mine, challenges remain. The U.S. permitting process for mining projects is notoriously slow, taking an average of seven to 10 years and often longer if litigation arises. This lengthy process hinders the development of new mines and underscores the need for regulatory reforms to accelerate domestic production.
The Brook Mine’s timeline reflects these hurdles. Ramaco first acquired the property in 2011 and filed its initial permit application in 2014. After identifying rare earth elements in 2016, the company faced additional regulatory delays before securing approval in 2020. Production is now ramping up, but the mine is not expected to deliver rare earths until 2028 or 2029.
Efforts to expand domestic mining are part of broader initiatives, such as the Trump administration’s push to develop critical minerals and the Earth MRI project, which is studying Wyoming’s Phosphoria Formation for rare earth deposits. However, the U.S. must address its permitting bottlenecks and strengthen its refining capabilities to compete with China’s dominance in the global market.
The Brook Mine’s opening is a positive step, but years of delays highlight the urgency of reforming mining regulations and reshoring manufacturing to ensure national security and economic resilience.

Published: 8/22/2025