Yellow excavator on an excavated mountain during daytime with sun rising over the horizon.

Trump’s mining push undermines itself by gutting clean energy demand

The Trump administration is accelerating domestic mining projects while simultaneously undercutting the clean energy policies that would create a stable U.S. market for critical minerals like lithium and graphite.

Alexander C. Kaufman reports for The Atlantic.

In short:

President Trump’s executive actions aim to boost U.S. mineral production by fast-tracking mining permits and proposing tariffs on foreign mineral supplies and equipment.
At the same time, cuts to clean energy incentives, such as electric vehicle tax credits and clean-tech loans, are dismantling the demand that would sustain domestic mineral markets.
Legal uncertainty from regulatory rollbacks may further deter investors and delay mining projects despite expedited permitting efforts.

Key quote:

“Without a clear, consistent demand signal, no mining company would put a single drill in the ground to make an investment.”

— Kwasi Ampofo, lead mining and minerals analyst at BloombergNEF

Why this matters:

Critical minerals like lithium, graphite, and rare earths are the backbone of modern clean energy technology, from electric vehicles to renewable grid storage. They are also increasingly important to national defense systems and global tech manufacturing. While China currently dominates mineral processing and pricing, many Western nations, especially the U.S., are eager to diversify supply chains. But these supply chains only function if industries, from car manufacturers to battery makers, are actively buying materials. When governments weaken the market for clean tech, they kneecap their own ability to attract private investment in mining. Without long-term demand, miners won’t take financial risks, and processing facilities stall. The United States' contradictory approach may cost it both economic leverage and environmental resilience.

www.theatlantic.com

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California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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