{
  "id": 136129,
  "title": "Largest US tungsten discovery hits NASA roadblock",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/largest-us-tungsten-discovery-hits-nasa-roadblock",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-04T13:59:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mining.com",
    "slug": "mining-com",
    "url": "https://www.mining.com/largest-us-tungsten-discovery-hits-nasa-roadblock/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A newly discovered tungsten deposit in Nevada could potentially be the largest in the United States, yet NASA's land withdrawal is impeding exploration on a significant portion of the project, according to the Financial Times. Critical minerals company 3 Proton Lithium (3PL) asserts its Railroad Valley Minerals Project contains an inferred tungsten resource estimated at 1.78 million tonnes, exceeding the size of the second-largest known US deposit by fivefold if commercially feasible. The company values the in-situ resources at roughly $152 billion based on present prices, although the blocked area has not yet been factored into the assessment.\n\n3PL chair and CEO Kevin Moore emphasized that this endeavor transcends a mere mining narrative; it represents a national security issue, as the US has abandoned tungsten mining for roughly a decade and currently relies on imports with China monopolizing global supply. NASA prohibits mining on approximately one-third of the company's claims, citing the flat Nevada desert as a crucial calibration site for satellite instruments and warning that mining would disrupt a unique site vital for receiving and validating satellite signals. In 2023, the Bureau of Land Management removed around 17 square miles from mining and exploration at NASA's behest.\n\nThe tungsten price surge of nearly 600% since early 2025, driven by increasing demand from the aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors and constrained supply following Chinese export restrictions, has heightened the urgency. China accounts for about 80% of global tungsten production. The Trump administration has regarded critical minerals as a strategic priority and included Railroad Valley in the FAST-41 federal permitting program to expedite project approvals. Independently, Washington is contemplating up to $1.6 billion in backing for a proposed tungsten mine in Kazakhstan as it endeavors to diversify supply.\n\nBMO Moore stated that 3PL is advocating for the Trump administration and Congress to overturn the federal land withdrawal, arguing that the restriction was enacted without adequate geological data. NASA has maintained its stance that the land withdrawal remains necessary. Industry analysts, however, cautioned that the discovery's strategic importance does not guarantee a swift development timeline. Strong tungsten prices are attracting junior miners globally, but the projected production is expected to take at least five years, even if permitting and land access obstacles are resolved.",
  "summary": "A Financial Times report shows that 3 Proton Lithium’s Nevada discovery could reshape US supply if it can overcome NASA land restrictions",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/136129.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage rocket hits the Moon after drifting in space since 2025; NASA tracking impact",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/spacex-falcon-9-second-stage-rocket-hits-the-moon-after-drifting-in",
        "published": "2026-08-05T14:16:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}