Utah’s Desert Yields Rare Earths Motherlode, Challenging China’s Grip on Critical Minerals

I recently reported that the U.S. has been rapidly securing its pipeline to critical minerals, supporting the development of a Brazilian mine while an American firm merges mining with rare earth elements (REE) processing capabilities.

These developments were the result of President Donald Trump’s team exploring partnership opportunities with other countries to both mine and process REEs, gutting China’s essential monopoly on these minerals. This move followed months of threats of export controls by China.

Well, there is more good news to be had. Ionic Mineral Technologies, a U.S.-based advanced materials company focused on nano‑silicon anode materials, has confirmed it has identified a high‑grade deposit of 16 different critical minerals and rare earth elements at its Silicon Ridge project in Utah’s Lake.

Ionic MT had leased the land as part of its business producing nanosilicon for lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles. But the company told WSJ Pro Sustainable Business that what it found was a host of other minerals, in what it says may be the most significant critical mineral reserve in the U.S...