The Department of the Interior has expanded its list of critical minerals to include copper, coal, and other resources, meaning they will be eligible for funding and streamlined permitting.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive efforts to boost domestic production of minerals needed for national security and industrial purposes. The inclusion of coal, however, is likely to spark backlash from environmentalists, who want to see it kept in the ground.
The final version of the U.S. Geological Survey’s 2025 critical mineral list, released Thursday, includes 10 new minerals: boron, copper, lead, metallurgical coal, phosphate, potash, rhenium, silicon, silver, and uranium.
“In 2017, President Trump set a goal of first identifying and then securing the mineral resources needed to bolster America’s economy and national security,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement.
“The 2025 List of Critical Minerals provides a clear, data-driven road map to reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries, expand domestic production and unleash American innovation,” Burgum said.
The Trump administration has prioritized boosting the domestic supply chain of critical minerals and rare earths as a way to counter China’s dominance in the sector. The list includes 15 rare earth elements, which are used in defense and energy applications. Their production has taken on added importance in recent years as China has leveraged its dominance in the mineral sector against the United States.
In April, Trump signed an executive order requiring the Commerce Department to investigate how the imports of critical minerals could impact national security. The DOI critical mineral list determines which elements are included in the probe, potentially leading to policy recommendations, such as tariffs or incentives.
The USGS updates the list every three years. It identifies minerals deemed essential and helps to guide federal policy to strengthen the supply chain. It also informs investments in mining, mine waste, stockpiles, streamlined permitting, and other related areas. In total, the list now contains 60 critical minerals.
During the 30-day public comment period, the Interior Department specifically asked for public comments on whether to include uranium and metallurgical coal, also known as met coal, which is used in the production of steel, in the final draft. Both minerals are now included in the final list.
The addition of met coal demonstrates the administration’s push to revive the coal industry at a time when it is on the decline.
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Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, said in a statement that the administration “has acknowledged the challenges associated with any specific list given the reality that what is considered essential today might change tomorrow, given the rapid pace of innovation, and our recent experience has shown the world how global events can redefine criticality overnight.”
“Today’s step to expand the list is crucial in securing our supply chains, but we will continue to seek the expansion of the list to ensure that the U.S. has the abundant domestic resources it needs, when it needs them,” he said.
