Tooele Army Depot, with its 43,000 acres situated at the Crossroads of the West, is a prime candidate for the Army’s new partnership model and is interested in exploring opportunities to partner with private industry to help the Army reach its national defense goals. (Wade Mathews)
Leveraging underutilized land, the U.S. Army announced the conditional award of long-term leases to four companies to design, finance, build and operate critical mineral processing facilities on Army installations.
These awards mark the first time the Army/Department of War has sited commercial mineral processing facilities on American military installations, a direct execution of President Trump’s Executive Order 14241. The leases were awarded to the following:
- Energy X, Red River Army Depot (Texas) for lithium.
- Empire State Mines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Titan Mining, Anniston Army Depot (Ala.) and Pine Bluff Arsenal (Ark.) for graphite.
- Ioneer, Tooele Army Depot (Utah) for boron.
- REalloys, Tooele Army Depot (Utah) for dysprosium and terbium.
“The ability to process critical minerals on U.S. soil is a national-defense priority required for munitions, missiles, sensors, batteries and the platforms our Soldiers depend on,” said Dr. Jeff Waksman, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.
“Leveraging our legal authorities and land, the U.S. Army is able to help nurture a critical minerals industrial base which equips and sustains America’s Soldiers without putting any taxpayer dollars at risk.”
Formal lease agreements with the companies are in negotiation. Development is slated to begin as early as 2027, with an Initial Operating Capability targeted by 2028.
Source: U.S. Army