Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown: Episode 4

Welcome to Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown, where we break down the latest news shaping the mining industry. As usual, we’re diving into a few major headlines that are striking the sector.

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First off, the U.S. Interior Department has announced an expedited environmental review for Anfield Energy’s Velvet-Wood uranium project in Utah, fast-tracking the permitting process to just 14 days, a stark contrast to the years such studies usually require. The mine, located on a previously disturbed site in San Juan County, would produce uranium for nuclear energy and defense, along with vanadium, a metal used in steel and battery technologies. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum cited an “energy emergency” and emphasized the Trump administration’s aggressive push to expand domestic energy production.  

Secondly, over 100 federal workers at NIOSH’s Morgantown, West Virginia facility will have their jobs reinstated, reversing earlier layoffs. Senator Shelley Moore Capito confirmed the news after discussions with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who committed to preserving key public health roles amid concerns about a surge in black lung disease, which now impacts one in five coal miners, with many as young as 30. The reinstated employees include experts in respiratory health and worker compensation for nuclear-related illnesses. This comes after weeks of turmoil following job cuts tied to the new Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. 

Finally, the U.S. Geological Survey is putting $5 million on the table to help states explore mine waste for overlooked critical minerals. Through its Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, or Earth MRI, the USGS is partnering with state geological surveys to re-examine tailings and waste rock at active and legacy mining sites. These materials may contain valuable elements like germanium and rare earths, essential for electronics, defense, and clean energy tech, that were previously discarded. This initiative supports a growing national inventory of mine waste and represents a strategic push to modernize America’s mineral resource base, aligning with recent executive orders aimed at securing domestic supply chains.

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