Posted on 07/02/2025 11:02:22 AM PDT by Navy Patriot
The U.S. Secretary of Energy and other elected officials are preparing to travel to Wyoming for the opening of the first new coal mine in the state in more than five decades.
The ribbon cutting for the Brook Mine Carbon Ore Rare Earth project will be on July 11. National and state leaders are expected to speak at the event in Ranchester.
"It will be the first new rare earth mine in the United States in more than 70 years and the first new coal mine in Wyoming in over 50 years," Ramaco Resources, Inc. said in a press release.
"This is more than a ribbon cutting — it's a declaration of America's resolve to reclaim its leadership in critical minerals and energy independence," Randall W. Atkins, Chairman and Chief Executive of Ramaco Resources, said in a statement.
"We are proud that Ramaco will be developing the first new mine to lead the United States in creating a viable domestic supply line of strategic rare earths and critical minerals," he continued.
Ramaco Resources says the Brook mine project will help the U.S. reduce its "foreign reliance on critical minerals essential to defense, technology, and clean energy."
The company has operations in West Virginia, Virginia and Wyoming. Its executive offices are in Lexington, Kentucky.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright's office did not immediately respond to a FOX Business inquiry.
"Wyoming continues to be a leader in energy innovation, including the expansion of our critical mineral industries," Gov. Mark Gordon said in a statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
Wyoming is still part of the United States!
One of the 57 states! LoL
Government subsidies involved?
I didn't see details in the article of what exactly the rare earths are. But in https://rareearthexchanges.com/news/ramacos-brook-mine-a-rare-earth-breakthrough-in-wyoming/ I read:
Ramaco’s Brook Mine is believed to be the largest unconventional U.S. deposit of rare earths sourced from coal-based materials. The company plans to produce 1,242 short tons annually of rare earth oxides, including high-demand elements such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium, as well as critical minerals like gallium, germanium, and scandium. Notably, the mine’s soft clay and carbonaceous geology enable simpler, lower-risk processing with negligible radioactive waste, unlike its hard rock counterparts.
MAGA effect.
Possibly, the Federal Government is historically heavily involved in mining and claim law, particularly on public land.
Have the Chinese offered to buy it yet ? LOL
More likely the EPA can no longer block it.
The US Government should never have allowed the Demonization of Mining, it’s continued existence and defense rely on mining production.
The Chinese probably already own the land using an Unregistered Foreign Agent shill.
Yes, MAGA Effect!
Has a traffic court judge in New Jersey stopped it yet?
The concept of a combination coal mine and rare earth mine, such as the Brook Mine in Wyoming, is possible because distinct minerals like coal and rare earth elements (REEs) can coexist in the same geological formation due to the unique conditions under which these deposits form. Below is an explanation of how this can occur and why it is feasible.1. Geological Coexistence of Coal and Rare Earth Elements
- Different Formation Processes, Same Location: Coal forms from compressed organic matter (plant remains) in swampy, sedimentary environments millions of years ago, typically in layers called seams. Rare earth elements are often found in specific minerals (like monazite or bastnäsite) that can be deposited in sedimentary or clay layers through processes like weathering, erosion, or volcanic activity. These distinct materials can end up in close proximity within the same geological strata.
- Unconventional REE Deposits: At the Brook Mine, REEs are found in "unconventional" deposits, meaning they are not in hard-rock formations but in softer materials like clays, shales, or coal-related strata above, below, or within coal seams. These clays can act as a "trap" for REEs, deposited by water or other geological processes.
- Wyoming's Unique Geology: Wyoming's Powder River Basin, where the Brook Mine is located, is known for its thick coal seams and sedimentary basins. These basins can contain clay layers or coal ash residues enriched with REEs, likely concentrated through ancient groundwater or volcanic ash interactions.
2. How a Combination Mine Works
- Co-Mining Opportunities: A combination mine leverages existing infrastructure and permits for coal mining to extract both coal and REEs. For example, at the Brook Mine, Ramaco Resources initially planned to mine coal but discovered REEs in surrounding clays. The mine can extract coal while processing overburden or coal waste for REEs.
- Shallow, Accessible Deposits: The REEs at Brook Mine are found in soft, clay-like materials at shallow depths, making them easier to extract compared to hard-rock REE deposits. This aligns with surface coal mining, which involves removing overburden, allowing the same equipment to recover both resources.
- Processing Differences: Coal is mined and processed for energy or metallurgical use, while REEs require chemical extraction. A combination mine would have separate processing streams: one for coal (crushing, washing) and another for REEs (hydrometallurgy or chemical methods). Ramaco plans a pilot facility for REE extraction using innovative techniques.
3. Why This Combination is Feasible in Wyoming
- Historical Oversight: REEs were overlooked in coal regions because exploration focused on coal or gold. Modern techniques, like those used by the Department of Energy, have revealed REEs in coal deposits.
- Economic Synergy: Declining coal demand pushes companies to diversify. Extracting REEs from coal mines allows Ramaco to use existing permits and infrastructure to tap into REE demand (used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, defense).
- Low Radioactivity: Brook Mine's REEs have low levels of radioactive elements like thorium, reducing environmental and processing challenges.
4. Challenges of a Combination Mine
- Variable REE Concentrations: REEs in coal-related deposits can be unevenly distributed, complicating extraction.
- Environmental Concerns: Mining coal and REEs raises concerns about air and water quality. Sustainable practices, like avoiding caustic acids, are critical.
- Market and Processing Hurdles: The REE market is dominated by China, and processing is complex. Success depends on efficient extraction methods.
5. Example: Brook Mine
- Discovery: Ramaco Resources acquired the Brook Mine near Sheridan, Wyoming, in 2011 for coal. In 2023, analysis with the National Energy Technology Laboratory revealed 1.2 million metric tons of REEs, potentially worth $37 billion.
- Operation: The mine will extract coal and process REEs from clays and coal strata. Its unconventional deposit allows less invasive extraction, with a $6.1 million grant supporting a pilot REE facility, set for construction in Fall 2025.
- Significance: If successful, Brook Mine could be the first new REE mine in the U.S. since 1952, reducing reliance on foreign REEs.
Conclusion
A combination coal and rare earth mine is feasible because coal and REEs can occur in the same sedimentary basins, particularly in Wyoming's unique geology. The Brook Mine uses coal mining operations to access REEs in nearby clays, with shared infrastructure and innovative processing. Challenges like environmental concerns and market dynamics remain, but the combination offers economic and strategic benefits, potentially positioning Wyoming as a key player in the U.S. critical minerals supply chain.
—”Has a traffic court judge in New Jersey stopped it yet?”
That comes much later.
Soon, it will be a near-endless stream of BS lawsuits, taking years in the courts.
Coming from the same nuts that demand more bird choppers and bird burners to power $100k EVs.
Then the traffic court....
Thanks, Freedom, very important info!
How fast will some federal judge swoop in and say “no”?
It seems that the rare earth elements are concentrated in the clays above and below the coals. The clays are from the breakdown of volcanic ash. Think Yellowstone.
“Rare Earths” are not rare. They just take hundreds of steps to refine and almost all require acid baths and precipitates. The environmental regs have driven refining to countries that can dump acid like it is storm water.
So ... cell phones without Congolese child slaves and Chinese neo-colonialism?
Well, Apple I-phones won’t work without child-slave produced rare earths, it’s in the Apple software.
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