North Dakota senators have amended House Bill 1459 to position the state as a leader in rare earth mineral development. These valuable minerals, essential for electronics and electric vehicles, could be extracted from coal seams in the Williston Basin. Senator Dale Patten of Watford City says the bill establishes North Dakota’s development intent, clarifies mineral ownership rights, and funds a study on extraction possibilities. With China currently dominating global supply and President Trump’s recent executive order supporting domestic production, researchers believe profitable extraction is possible. UND scientists suggest a $100 million facility could efficiently process these high-value minerals by piggybacking on existing coal operations.
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