Utah Aims to Meet 20-25% of U.S. Critical Minerals Demand

New legislation would establish a 'MINES Center' and governing council to drive critical minerals production in the state.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Utah lawmakers are proposing a new regulatory framework to boost the state's critical minerals production, including establishing a 'MINES Center' facility and a governing council to oversee exploration, production, and processing. The goal is for Utah to meet 20-25% of the country's domestic critical minerals demand, with a focus on faster permitting and processing of extracted minerals within the state.

Why it matters

As the U.S. seeks to reduce reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals, Utah is positioning itself to be a major domestic supplier. However, some environmental groups have raised concerns about the potential for faster permitting to lead to increased mining impacts on local communities.

The details

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Ann Millner, would codify Utah's long-term critical minerals goals and create a new governing council. The council would include representatives from state agencies, universities, and the mining industry. The bill also establishes a 'Critical Minerals Development Account' to fund the MINES Center facility and other initiatives, with up to $20 million per year potentially transferred from the state's general fund.

  • The Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee voted 4-1 this week to advance the bill to the full Senate.

The players

Sen. Ann Millner

The Ogden Republican senator who is sponsoring the critical minerals legislation.

Sen. Nate Blouin

The Millcreek Democratic senator who opposed the bill, citing concerns about environmental impacts and the composition of the governing council.

Unleash Utah

An energy abundance advocacy group that supports the bill, arguing it will increase competitiveness by bringing more mining industry to Utah while still aligning with environmental regulations.

Mackenzie Miller

A Magna resident who expressed concerns about the potential for faster permitting to lead to increased environmental impacts near mining operations.

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What they’re saying

“We're trying to put our university expertise, our state expertise, and then the expertise brought by our mining industry in the state to the table. And then our trade folks who can help us work through how we make sure we have the markets that we need over time to make this a viable project.”

— Sen. Ann Millner (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“Our cheap source of these minerals, from China, has now been threatened significantly. And as a nation, I think the government has discovered that we need to make sure that we make critical minerals, mining and marketing and pricing something that works, that we can become more critical mineral independent in this nation.”

— Sen. Ann Millner (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“It seems like a bit of a race to the bottom in a state … that is really already seemingly as kind of far in that direction as we could be. In a state where we have seen continued toxic releases in the Salt Lake County area as a result of the mining industry, this seems like a dangerous direction to go in.”

— Sen. Nate Blouin (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“If we block domestic supply, we don't reduce demand, we just outsource extraction to countries with weaker environmental standards, which is what's happened over the last several decades.”

— Andrew Sandstrom, Representing Unleash Utah (utahnewsdispatch.com)

What’s next

The bill will now move to the full Utah Senate for consideration.

The takeaway

Utah's push to become a major supplier of critical minerals for the U.S. highlights the delicate balance between boosting domestic production and addressing environmental concerns. The success of this initiative will depend on the state's ability to develop a regulatory framework that supports the mining industry while also protecting local communities and the environment.