Critical Mineral Dominance Act

This bill would direct the Department of the Interior to accelerate and expand mineral production on federal lands to address supply chain vulnerabilities. The Department would be required to identify and expedite priority mining projects, review and potentially rescind agency actions that burden such projects, and recommend legislative changes to increase domestic hardrock mineral production. Additionally, the bill would require a report on the economic impact of U.S. reliance on mineral imports and prioritize efforts to speed up geologic mapping.

The bill primarily affects the Department of the Interior, which is tasked with identifying priority mining projects and revising agency actions that burden mineral production. It also impacts entities involved in the exploration, development, and production of hardrock minerals on federal lands, including National Forest System and public lands. Additionally, the legislation affects mining operations capable of producing minerals from mine tailings or coal byproducts.

• Expediting priority mining projects on federal lands. The Department of the Interior is directed to identify and take all necessary steps to accelerate the approval of priority mining projects on National Forest System land and other public lands.
• Identification of high-potential mineral production sites. The bill requires the identification of active, inactive, or proposed mining projects that could increase hardrock mineral production, including those that extract minerals from mine tailings or coal byproducts.
• Review and revision of regulatory burdens. The Department of the Interior must suspend, revise, or rescind agency actions that place undue burdens on mining projects and recommend legislative changes to expand domestic production.
• Assessment of state and local mining impediments. The Department of the Interior is tasked with reviewing state and local laws that hinder the development of domestic mining and mineral exploration projects.
• Reporting on mineral import reliance. The bill mandates a report on the economic impact and dollar value of the United States' reliance on imported mineral commodities.
• Prioritization of geologic mapping. The Department of the Interior must prioritize efforts to accelerate geologic mapping to support mineral resource identification.

The bill requires the Department of the Interior to review and potentially suspend, revise, or rescind existing agency actions that burden mining projects, while also requiring the Department to recommend legislative changes to current laws governing hardrock mineral production.

The bill aims to address vulnerabilities in the domestic mineral supply chain by accelerating and expanding the production of hardrock minerals on federal lands. It seeks to streamline the permitting process for mining projects, reduce regulatory burdens, and identify geographic areas with high potential for mineral development to enhance domestic resource independence.