Small but Mighty – Rare Earth Minerals’ Big Impact on National Security, Religious Freedom, and Home Building!!

The Hidden Metals in Every Home

They’re invisible to the eye, but without them, your dishwasher wouldn’t run, your HVAC wouldn’t cool, and your LED lights wouldn’t shine. Rare earth elements (REEs) like neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, and dysprosium power the permanent magnets, smart devices, and renewable tech embedded in nearly every modern home.

Individually, the quantities are small. Collectively, they are essential. And for decades, America has depended on foreign supply chains—chiefly China—for access. That dependence is beginning to shift.

Brook Mine: Wyoming’s Rare Earth Revival

In Sheridan County, Wyoming, the Brook Mine is rewriting history. Operated by Ramaco Resources, it is the first new rare earth discovery in the U.S. in 70 years.

The numbers matter:

• 1.7 million tons of reserves containing neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gallium, and scandium.

• 1,400 metric tons annually projected once production ramps (2028–2029).

• A $533 million processing facility, supported by a Wyoming state grant.

• Potential to supply 3–5% of U.S. total demand, or up to 30% of defense-related magnet needs.

This isn’t just another mine. It’s a strategic revival—turning coal country into critical-minerals country.

MP Materials: California’s Quiet Stronghold

Until Brook Mine comes online, the U.S. has just one rare earth player: MP Materials at Mountain Pass, California. Its focus is NdPr—the backbone of magnets used in EVs, wind turbines, robotics, drones, and military hardware.

The Department of Defense sees the stakes. In 2023, it invested $400 million and took a 15% ownership stake, securing a decade-long price floor for NdPr oxide and ensuring supply for defense applications.

This is financial firepower deployed with strategic clarity.

Why It Matters: Defense, Economy, and Faith

Rare earths aren’t theoretical—they’re embedded in F-35 fighter jets, submarine propulsion, missile guidance, and satellite systems. To rely on a global competitor that controls up to 90% of the supply chain is to accept strategic vulnerability.

Reshoring supply strengthens our national defense. It also revives local economies like Sheridan’s, creating jobs and breathing new life into communities transitioning from coal to next-generation industries.

And there’s a deeper layer. From a Built on Faith perspective, this is stewardship—using what God placed beneath our feet. It’s resilience—rising from industrial decline. And it’s renewal—reducing reliance on nations that do not champion freedom of faith, while reinforcing our own values at home.

The Gaps Still to Fill

Not every rare earth is yet accounted for in U.S. soil. Heavy REEs like holmium, lutetium, and ytterbium remain sourced overseas. But projects are emerging:

• Elk Creek, Nebraska – potential scandium and niobium supply.

• Wheatland, Wyoming – one of the world’s largest undeveloped deposits.

• Coal ash recovery – an unconventional but promising source with up to 11 million tons of recoverable REEs.

The future isn’t solved yet—but the path is forming.

The Real Playbook: Stewardship, Resilience, Revival

Forget the jargon. Here’s the takeaway:

• Stewardship – Know and use the resources God has already placed here.

• Resilience – Build supply chains that endure volatility.

• Revival – Restore economic strength and national security by rebuilding at home.

Rare earths may be small, but their impact is mighty. They empower our homes, secure our nation, and symbolize a renewal of both capability and conviction.

This isn’t just about mining. It’s about America standing tall again—on faith, on freedom, and on what lies beneath our very soil.

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