On July 23, 2025, the Department of the Interior's Secretary issued Secretarial Order 3436 directing agency staff to review and amend regulations to (1) "support development of critical minerals and encourage the private sector mining industry to engage in critical mineral extraction, processing, refining, and transport activities;" and (2) to authorize critical mineral recovery from mining waste. According to an agency press release, this order is part of Interior's "broader efforts to support critical mineral production."
Interior takes this action in response to President Trump's Executive Order 14241 (Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production).