Nevada’s Tungsten Treasure

Nevada’s Railroad Valley may hold what could be the largest tungsten deposit ever discovered in the United States. According to 3 Proton Lithium (3PL), this inferred resource amounts to about 1.78 million tons, which, interestingly enough, is over five times larger than the next known domestic deposit. Its in-situ value is estimated at a staggering $152 billion based on current market prices.

Tungsten prices have shot up since early 2025, driven by increasing demand from sectors like aerospace, defense, and industry. Compounding this, export controls from China—accounting for nearly 80% of global tungsten supply—have further fueled the rising prices.

The U.S. largely abandoned domestic mining about 40 years ago. As a result, it now relies on imports for tungsten, a metal critical for munitions, armor-piercing rounds, high-temperature alloys, and various Pentagon systems. Kevin Moore from 3PL put it quite bluntly, saying, “This isn’t just a mining story; it’s a national security story.”

However, a significant portion of this potential resource is off-limits. NASA has raised objections to mining on roughly one-third of the company’s claims, citing that the area is vital for calibrating satellite instruments and that mining activities might disrupt an important site for satellite signal verification.

In response to NASA’s concerns, the Bureau of Land Management pulled back about 17 square miles from any mining activities in 2023. 3PL is currently lobbying the Trump administration and Congress to rescind this withdrawal, arguing it was enforced without proper geological assessments. NASA remains steadfast in its position on the matter.

This struggle between NASA’s needs and the Pentagon’s demand for reliable domestic sources of a crucial munitions metal exemplifies a common issue in U.S. mining approvals. It highlights the ongoing conflict of interests surrounding mining projects, which often leads to delays from the initial discovery to actual production.

In these situations, a strategic resource is found, and while the national-security argument seems clear, another legitimate stakeholder, like NASA in this case, raises valid concerns. By the time a resolution is reached, China’s grip on the market deepens, and prices continue their ascendancy.

The Trump administration has made some headway by placing the Railroad Valley Minerals project under the FAST-41 federal permitting program. This program aims to enhance coordination among agencies and shorten the timelines for environmental reviews and other necessary approvals. It’s a practical acknowledgment that critical minerals should be treated with the same urgency as energy production when it comes to national security.

Still, FAST-41 can’t prevent the lawsuits that will almost certainly follow. Certain activist groups have become adept at leveraging laws like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act to delay projects.

Inevitably, there will be legal challenges to any permits or efforts to overturn the NASA withdrawal. Such litigation can extend timelines significantly, even after a project has been prioritized. While FAST-41 speeds up initial permitting processes, it provides little defense against the legal hurdles posed by opponents of resource development.

This scenario mirrors the ongoing debates over rare earths, copper, and other critical minerals where the U.S. speaks robustly about securing supply chains and reducing reliance on rival nations. Yet procedural gridlock and friction between agencies often stymie the very projects that could provide solutions.

Tungsten represents more than just a “green transition” metal; it plays a vital role in national defense. Depending on Chinese supplies for materials used in munitions creates a strategic vulnerability that no sensible national-security framework should overlook.

• A world-class domestic deposit is located beneath the Nevada desert.
• NASA requires the land for its satellite functions.
• The Pentagon seeks the mineral for defense and industrial security.
• Despite efforts like FAST-41 to expedite the process, the land withdrawal persists, lobbying is ongoing, and lawsuits are inevitable.

Until the U.S. cultivates a culture that prioritizes domestic mining of essential minerals as a matter of national security, these discoveries are likely to face the same obstacles repeatedly. Unlike the U.S., China’s centralized government doesn’t struggle with these issues, a reality that should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers in Washington.