The China Problem
China has slammed the brakes on rare earth mineral exports to the United States. The decision has stunned tech manufacturers, car makers, and defense contractors. These industries rely heavily on rare earth elements (REEs) like neodymium and dysprosium.
Despite their name, rare earths are not scarce. However, processing them is complex and expensive. For years, China cornered the market with cheap labor and lenient environmental rules. In 2024, China supplied over 90% of the United States’ rare earth needs, directly or indirectly.
This export freeze, announced in early 2025, appears to be a geopolitical move. Tensions between the U.S. and China—over Taiwan, trade, and technology—are rising fast. China is flexing its dominance, and America is feeling the squeeze. Prices for REEs have already surged 30%. Manufacturers now face delivery delays, soaring costs, and looming layoffs.
Montana’s Untapped Opportunity
Meanwhile, Montana may hold the key to breaking this supply stranglehold. The state has some of the richest rare earth deposits in North America. Areas near the Stillwater Complex and the Bear Lodge project could supply vast amounts of critical minerals.
These reserves contain enough neodymium and praseodymium to fuel the electric vehicle industry for decades. The geology is sound. The local talent is ready. Infrastructure is in place. Montana is eager to respond.
Local voices are getting louder. “We’ve got the resources right here,” says Jake Thornton, a mining consultant in Billings. “With the right investment, we could be supplying half the country’s rare earths in five years.”
More than economics is at stake. Domestic rare earth production strengthens national security. It also builds resilience in the face of global supply shocks. Montana could play a leading role—if the federal government lets it.
Federal Red Tape Holds Montana Back
The main barrier? Federal regulation. Permitting new mines under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) can take up to ten years. Endless reviews, lawsuits, and public comment periods stall progress.
Add the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, and delays become the norm. Activist groups often exploit these laws to block mining efforts altogether. Meanwhile, China ramps up production with minimal oversight.
Montana’s miners don’t want a free pass. They support responsible environmental practices. But the current system, they say, is outdated and counterproductive.
“We’re held to standards China doesn’t even pretend to meet,” says Sarah Granger, a geologist based in Helena. “We need faster permitting, not weaker rules—just a system that works.”
In 2023, the Biden administration issued an executive order aimed at cutting permitting timelines. Yet results have been minimal. A $2 billion Department of Energy grant for REE processing remains bogged down in bureaucracy.
How Washington Can Help
Montana is ready to move. But it needs federal support. Here are four ways Washington can help unlock the state’s potential:
- Streamline Permitting
Reform NEPA to cap environmental reviews for critical mineral projects at two years. Keep the safeguards, but ditch the delays. - Build Infrastructure
Direct federal grants toward rare earth processing facilities in Montana. This creates local jobs and reduces dependence on Chinese refineries. - Incentivize Private Investment
Offer tax incentives for companies that develop U.S.-based REE supply chains. Make them competitive with China’s state-backed giants. - Support Innovation
Fund research at institutions like Montana Tech. Help them develop cleaner, cheaper extraction methods to reduce environmental impact.
Time to Act
China’s export ban is more than a trade issue—it’s a national security warning. Relying on a global rival for critical materials puts the U.S. in a dangerous position.
Montana’s rare earth wealth could help change that. But the longer Washington waits, the more leverage China gains.
The solution isn’t hidden. It’s buried beneath Montana’s soil, waiting for the green light. As Jake Thornton says, “Give us a shot, and we’ll show the world what Montana can do.”
The clock is ticking. Will Washington act—or let this opportunity go to waste?
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