Highlights

• Trump's March 20 executive order aims to prioritize domestic rare earth elements production, positioning Wyoming as a potential national mining leader.
• The order targets reducing U.S. dependence on China by fast-tracking federal permitting for critical mineral projects like Bear Lodge and Halleck Creek.
• Currently, the U.S. has only one active rare earth mine.
• China controls 90% of midstream and downstream rare earth processing.

David Madison writing for Cowboy State Daily (opens in a new tab), March 24, 2025 reports that Donald Trump’s March 20 executive order prioritizing domestic production of rare earth elements (REEs) has catalyzed optimism in Wyoming, positioning the state as a potential leader in critical mineral mining. The order imposes short deadlines for federal agencies to identify permitting projects and is framed as a national security imperative to reduce U.S. dependence on China. Wyoming-based projects like Bear Lodge and Halleck Creek are already seizing the momentum, touting investor interest and federal engagement.

So, what are the possible impacts on Wyoming?  The recent piece suggests a confluence of possible implications from accelerated mining activity and more federal engagement to support mining to an economic boost for Wyoming to academic support at the University of Wyoming.

The U.S. currently has only one active rare earth mine (Mountain Pass in California). Trump's order is viewed as a catalyst to expand domestic capability in competition with China's overwhelming market share—particularly as China signals it may restrict exports for strategic reasons.

The article subtly aligns with a pro-Trump, pro-industry narrative. Federal regulatory reform is framed as “unleashing” potential, with praise from industry insiders and political allies like Sen. Cynthia Lummis. The voices of environmental or Indigenous stakeholders, concerns about ecological impact, and alternative policy perspectives are notably absent. The repetition of language like “emergency,” “dominance,” and “overbearing regulations” underscores a sense of urgency and justification for deregulatory acceleration, echoing nationalistic and extractive rhetoric.

Not discussed are the vital midstream and downstream capabilities controlled by China, at least up until now. China controls about 90% of midstream and downstream rare earth processing.

While Trump’s executive order is poised to fast-track Wyoming’s role in rare earth production, the Cowboy State Daily’s coverage emphasizes economic opportunity and national security while downplaying or omitting potential environmental, regulatory, and geopolitical complexities. The framing serves a bullish industrial outlook—but risks glossing over the trade-offs that come with rapid resource mobilization.