Second Black Hills mining proposal selected for fast-track federal permitting

Federal officials have selected the Bear Lodge Rare Earth Mining Project in northeastern Wyoming for expedited permitting under the FAST-41 process, according to reporting by South Dakota Searchlight. The project, located on the Wyoming side of the Black Hills, is expected to produce rare earth elements used in alloys and magnets. The federal Permitting Council said the FAST-41 process is designed to improve coordination among agencies and could reduce review time by about 18 months.

The project has faced delays due to permitting challenges, market saturation from China and difficulty raising capital, according to the Cowboy State Daily. Wyoming U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said in a news release the project could become a key domestic source of elements used in defense systems and high-tech manufacturing. A separate Black Hills mining proposal, the Dewey-Burdock uranium project in southwestern South Dakota, has drawn opposition from the Oglala Sioux Tribe, NDN Collective and the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, according to South Dakota Searchlight.