Hearings to examine S.362, to allow certain Federal minerals to be mined consistent with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification, S.544, to provide for the location of multiple hardrock mining mill sites, to establish the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, S.596, to establish a pilot program to support domestic critical material processing, S.714, to amend the Energy Act of 2020 to include critical materials in the definition of critical mineral, S.789, to require reports on critical mineral and rare earth element resources around the world and a strategy for the development of advanced mining, refining, separation, and processing technologies, and S.859, to modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain land.

The committee convened a bipartisan hearing to examine six bills aimed at strengthening domestic mining and mineral processing, addressing supply chain vulnerabilities tied to foreign reliance, particularly China. Witnesses from the mining industry, environmental groups, and policy experts emphasized the urgent need for regulatory reform, including updating outdated 1872 mining laws, streamlining permitting processes, and increasing funding for abandoned mine cleanup. Key topics included the inconsistency between the Department of Interior and Department of Energy's critical mineral lists, the need for a net royalty instead of a gross one to avoid deterring investment, and the importance of domestic processing to ensure national security and economic resilience. The hearing also highlighted the significant backlog of abandoned mine sites and called for dedicated funding, expanded state regulatory authority, and greater coordination across federal agencies to modernize U.S. mineral policies and support critical infrastructure development.