Ionic Mineral Technologies has confirmed a major, high-grade deposit of rare earth and critical minerals at its fully permitted Silicon Ridge project in Utah. The results establish a domestic source for elements essential for advanced AI semiconductor chips, permanent magnets, defense surveillance systems, and energy technologies.
Independent assays from ALS Chemex confirmed the deposit as a halloysite-hosted ion-adsorption clay (IAC) – the same geological formation that supplies approximately 35-40% of China’s total rare earth production and over 70% of the world’s heavy rare earth elements.
“This confirmation is a watershed moment for American resource independence. For the first time, we have a domestic, shovel-ready source for a full spectrum of critical minerals, all extractable with a faster, cleaner process than traditional hard rock mining and extraction,” said Andre Zeitoun, founder and CEO of Ionic MT.
“With our mining permits and processing facility in place, we can now move rapidly to production, reducing a key strategic vulnerability for the United States.”
The strategic importance of the deposit is underscored by China’s December 2024 export ban on gallium, germanium, and antimony to the United States, combined with April 2025 export licensing requirements on critical rare earth elements like lutetium, scandium and yttrium globally. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has identified critical material shortfalls exceeding $18.5 billion, with the Pentagon recently moving to secure a $2 billion emergency stockpile of strategic minerals in response to these supply chain vulnerabilities.
“Our energy and national security depend on having a reliable supply of critical minerals – and Utah is uniquely positioned to lead the way,” said Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz.
“This project shows what Utah does best: using our natural resources, strong infrastructure, and innovative industry to solve big challenges and embrace big opportunities. Ionic Mineral Technologies is helping us reduce dependence on foreign adversaries while creating new opportunities and long-term stability for Utah families and our economy.”
Source: Ionic Mineral Technologies