Trump Administration fast-tracks approval of uranium mine in Utah

A new mining project in Utah won approval from the federal government to exploit uranium deposits. It is a mine owned by Canadian company Anfield Energy. The government permits have been processed fleetingly in just a few weeks.

Just 11 days have passed since the Interior Department requested an environmental impact assessment for the mining project in Utah.

The Velvet-Wood mine, near Utah's Lisbon Valley, will produce both uranium and vanadium. The former can be transformed into fuel for nuclear reactors, while the latter is commonly used in steel alloys.

This project is the first that the new Republican Administration has approved for the mining industry. It responds to Trump's overt policy of reactivating some industrial and extractive sectors in the United States.

"This approval marks a turning point in how we secure America's mining future," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement picked up by the press.

"By streamlining the review process for critical mineral projects like Velvet-Wood, we are reducing dependence on foreign adversaries and ensuring that our military, medical and energy sectors have the resources they need to thrive. This is mineral security in action," the Interior Secretary added.