Highlights

• Panel discusses U.S. strategic vulnerabilities due to China's dominance in rare earth mineral refining.
• Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah have geological potential but face political and regulatory constraints.
• Achieving rare earth element self-sufficiency requires comprehensive federal-state coordination and complex economic strategies.

Scott Weiser writing for  The Denver Gazette (opens in a new tab) in “Can Colorado better source, produce rare earth minerals? Mining experts weigh in on how” highlights a panel hosted by the Common Sense Institute (CSI) featuring regional energy and mining stakeholders, including Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, Colorado Mining Association CEO Adam Eckman, and Colorado School of Mines professor Ian Lange. The article frames the discussion around U.S. strategic vulnerabilities due to China’s dominance in rare earth mineral refining and advanced material production. Panelists argue that Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah are geologically well-positioned but politically and regulatorily constrained. Suggestions include a "Manhattan Project"-style mobilization and federal reforms to accelerate permitting.

In the local media, the article correctly identifies China’s near-monopoly in rare earth element (REE) refining as a national security and economic risk. It highlights the inefficiency and delays caused by the U.S. permitting process, especially under NEPA. Also, the author acknowledges the role of mineral access in achieving carbon-free energy goals and bolstering aerospace and defense industries.

But some of the article seems to miss the mark. The article does not explore current U.S. Department of Defense or DOE-backed REE initiatives (e.g., MP Materials, Lynas USA, Ucore) already underway in Colorado and neighboring states.

There’s limited analysis of the environmental justice implications of ramping up mining, especially for historically impacted communities like the Navajo Nation, only briefly referenced in a sidebar.  Also, the article mentions $1.3 billion in GDP impact from a single mine but fails to quantify how that balances against infrastructure needs or global market competitiveness.

What Rare Earth Exchanges (REEx) can’t agree with is the assumption that a $500M–$1B investment alone could restore rare earth element (REE) self-sufficiency, oversimplifying the challenge; this ignores the global pricing pressure from China's subsidized industry and the decades-long erosion of midstream and downstream U.S. capabilities.

Political consensus in Colorado is framed optimistically. In reality, strong environmental opposition and local zoning conflicts could derail large-scale mining proposals despite bipartisan support for “critical minerals.”

An REEx Reality Take

The Denver Gazette piece presents an accurate but incomplete snapshot of the Western U.S.'s rare earth potential. The panel’s urgency is justified, but achieving real supply chain independence will require more than funding and permitting reform—it will demand durable federal-state coordination, incentives for refining and magnet-making, and careful balancing of economic, environmental, and geopolitical priorities.