When Nature Is More Precious Than Gold: New Report Highlights How The U.S. Can Be Strategic In Mining Critical Minerals

Forbes

13-05-2025

In southern Montana, tucked away in the shadows of the Gallatin and Absaroka Mountains, lies an ecological treasure. Paradise Valley is an appropriately named haven just north of Yellowstone National Park. There you can see mule deer dotted along the fields of alfalfa and hear dragonflies buzz over the wetlands on the riverbank. Elk and pronghorn graze the valley as they migrate to escape the deep snow of the nearby mountains. But not too long ago, the balance of this passageway was under threat.
Mining activity—specifically gold mining and exploration of other minerals—encroached on nearby land in the Yellowstone River watershed. When the local community expressed concerns for how mining could contaminate the river and impact wildlife habitat, there was a rally of bipartisan support. A 20-year ban on mining was made permanent in 2019 when the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act passed, protecting more than 30,000 acres of national forest land from gold mining. I know from my years in federal policy making, when people from all sides of the aisle come together like that, it's a message worth paying attention to—sometimes nature is more precious than gold.
Paradise Valley is just one example of a growing national challenge: how do we mine minerals—especially the ones that power modern-day technologies, like lithium, cobalt, and nickel—without destroying the very lands and waters we depend on? It's not an either/or. It's a question of how. And the good news is: we can choose to do this right.
Critical minerals are in the policy spotlight for good reason. An Executive Order has been signed to accelerate domestic supply chains, and a bipartisan bill has been reintroduced in the Senate. These minerals are essential to producing the clean energy technologies—solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries—that will power our future. As American energy consumption rises, we need an 'all of the above' approach. That means expanding clean energy capacity, and for that, we need more minerals.
It's not just about power—it's about independence. Currently, the U.S. imports over 80% of its critical mineral supply. Yet the lower 48 states alone hold more than 100 years' worth of global lithium reserves, based on 2021 demand. Fifteen years from now, lithium demand is projected to be more than eight times what it is today. We have what we need, here at home. But how we get it matters.
As someone who served in the U.S. Senate and worked firsthand on policies at the intersection of energy, environment, and health, I understand the complexity of these decisions. Policymaking is rarely straightforward. It requires weighing trade-offs, listening to diverse perspectives, and crafting solutions that stand the test of time.
Mining is not without costs. It has environmental, public health, and justice impacts. Irresponsible extraction can contaminate waterways, diminish drinking water, and send toxic sludge downstream. It can also disrupt or destroy habitats vital to fishing and hunting—watersheds that support trout and salmon, for example—and infringe upon sacred cultural and historic sites belonging to Indigenous communities. And ultimately, what affects our environment affects our human health—from the quality of the air we breathe to the safety of the water we drink.
Given our rich domestic reserves, the U.S. has a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to be strategic. We can choose where we mine. We can choose to listen to local voices. And we can choose to protect what cannot be replaced.
A new report from a coalition of hunting, fishing, and conservation groups offers guidance to policymakers. Here are five of its top recommendations:
1. Start with recycling. Instead of defaulting to new extraction, we should invest in battery and solar panel recycling. Redwood Materials in Nevada, for example, recently secured a $2 billion federal loan to ramp up its battery recycling operations. In Arizona and Nevada, efforts to recycle photovoltaic panels are also growing. Comstock Metals is pioneering solar panel recycling.
2. Prioritize industrialized lands. The Idaho Cobalt Project is a model: a defunct mine site brought back into operation to extract minerals while also helping clean up legacy pollution. Reusing already-developed sites reduces new damage.
3. Use the best available science. Not all mineral deposits are created equal—and not all landscapes are suitable for mining. Smart mapping, such as the one featured in the new report, helps identify where resources overlap with high-value habitats, allowing us to make informed decisions.
4. Minimize harm where impacts are unavoidable. At the Silver Peak Lithium Project in Nevada, high bird mortality was observed due to toxic evaporation ponds. In response, mitigation measures were implemented—like installing nets over ponds and launching waterfowl protection research, in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
5. Recognize that some places are too valuable to mine. Paradise Valley is a prime example. Its groundwater-fed ecosystems are irreplaceable, and mining here would jeopardize endemic species and community water supplies. Unlike more politically charged projects—such as the proposed sulfide-ore copper mine near Minnesota's Boundary Waters—the Paradise Valley area has bipartisan, local support for protection. Areas like Paradise Valley deserve more than short-term moratoria.
The stakes are high. To meet American energy needs and accelerate the clean energy transition, we need access to critical minerals. But we can—and must—do this the right way.
Let's lead not just in production, but in responsibility. Let's ensure that clean energy doesn't come at the cost of clean water, sacred lands, or treasured fishing grounds. And let's remember that some places, like Paradise Valley, are simply too special to risk.
Because when we protect what's rare, we preserve what's essential—for people and for the planet.
Senator William H. Frist, MD currently serves as chair of the Global Board of the Nature Conservancy, the largest conservation organization in the world.