Locals concerned as Trump admin fast-tracks public process for Wyoming rare earth mine

In July, the U.S. Forest Service opened a 30-day window for public input on plans to evaluate a rare-earth element mining project in northeastern Wyoming, a process expedited by the Trump administration. Rare Earth Resources, a Colorado-based firm, aims to build an open-pit mine at Bull Hill, located 12 miles northwest of Sundance and 22 miles from Devils Tower. The mining operations would entail trucking raw materials to a "demonstration" processing plant near Upton.

Critics, including Sundance resident Justin Johnson and Crook County Commissioner John Davis, express concerns about the rapid timeline and the potential impacts on health, wildlife, exemptions to the Black Hills Forest management plan, and air and water quality. Johnson noted the project's secretive nature and the limited time to review the proposal and environmental documents. Davis, a supporter of the project, acknowledged the need for clarification on certain concerns.

Rare Element Resources intends to process the extracted materials at its demonstration plant, with the metals including neodymium and praseodymium, critical for permanent magnets in various applications such as defense systems, transportation, and advanced energy. The company claims one of the highest-grade deposits of these rare-earth elements in the region.

Despite the anticipated demand growth and price support over the next decade, environmentalists and locals are apprehensive about the expedited process, fearing it may not adequately address public concerns and potential environmental consequences.