Energy
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First U.S. Rare Earth Mine In 70 Years Opens In Wyoming
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright was in Ranchester, Wyoming, on Friday for the ribbon cutting to open the first U.S. rare earth mine in 70 years. He said the Brook Mine and Wyoming are critical to breaking China’s stranglehold on rare earth processing.
David MadisonJuly 11, 2025
Wyoming’s Exploding Rare Earth Industry Attracts 21 Claims From New Player
Wyoming’s exploding rare earth industry continues to attract attention. The latest is Argyle Resources Corp., which has filed 21 mineral claims in the Bear Lodge Mining District of northeast Wyoming.
David MadisonJuly 09, 2025
Trump Opens Floodgate For Wyoming Coal, But Will Producers Buy New Leases?
Trump’s budget bill opens a floodgate for federal coal leases in Wyoming, but will producers buy them? Experts are mixed. Some say a decade of decline can’t be solved by leasing more area for mining and others that it can spark new activity.
David MadisonJuly 08, 2025
TerraPower’s Kemmerer Nuclear Plant In Fast Lane With Accelerated Permit Review
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will complete its review of TerraPower's construction permit application for its Kemmerer nuclear plant by the end of the year. That’s six months early and has local officials scrambling to keep up.
David MadisonJuly 04, 2025
Wyoming Drilling Crew Hopes To Find Huge Uranium Deposit In Powder River Basin
A Wyoming company will start drilling dozens of holes in the Powder River Basin this month to explore potential to mine uranium. A group that includes companies from Canada and Australia hopes to find a huge uranium deposit.
David MadisonJuly 02, 2025
Energy Secretary To Visit Site Of Massive Rare Earth Find In Ranchester, Wyoming
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright will be in northern Wyoming for the July 11 groundbreaking of the Brook Mine in Ranchester. Ramaco Resources believes it holds the largest “unconventional” rare earth deposit in the U.S.
David MadisonJuly 02, 2025
Midwest Power Plant Operator Wants $22M From BNSF For Not Delivering Wyoming Coal
The operator of a pair of Midwest power plants wants $22 million from BNSF Railway, according to recent documents filed with the Surface Transportation Board. The company claims the power plants couldn’t get their full orders of Wyoming coal.
David MadisonJuly 01, 2025
Coal A Big Winner After Marathon Senate Session on Big Beautiful Bill Act
A dramatic marathon weekend session in the U.S. Senate elevated coal as a high priority among lawmakers who hammered out amendments to President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
David MadisonJune 30, 2025
Another Wind And Solar Project Triggers Opposition In Eastern Wyoming
A proposed 450-megawatt wind and solar project in Goshen and Platte counties would create 300 jobs and mean about $150 million in tax revenue. Even so, locals are opposed, with Torrington’s mayor saying a gas- or coal-fired power plant would be preferred.
David MadisonJune 30, 2025
Gillette’s Cyclone Drilling To Do Wyoming’s First 3-Mile Well And 4-Mile Well Is Next
Cyclone Drilling in Gillette is the region's go-to specialist for drilling the deepest and longest oil and gas wells. It’s going to drill Wyoming’s first 3-mile lateral well — and is already planning to go 4 miles and beyond.
David MadisonJune 28, 2025
Counties Look To Regulate As More Wind, Solar Projects Eye Northeast Wyoming
Crook County doesn’t have regulations for local permitting of solar and wind projects, and hasn’t needed them — until now. As more wind and solar development is planned for northeast Wyoming, local governments are drafting new rules.
David MadisonJune 25, 2025
One Of Wyoming’s Largest Oil Producers Drilling Its First 3-Mile Well
Anschutz Exploration Corp. is already one of the largest oil producers in Wyoming. Now it’s pushing the industry by drilling Wyoming’s first 3-mile lateral well on a pad in Johnson County.
David MadisonJune 24, 2025
Congress Spotlights Wyoming’s Rare Earth Industry As Vital To US Supply
Wyoming and Montana took center stage at a congressional hearing Tuesday about fast-tracking rare earth processing in the U.S. New tech to extract rare earths from coal waste could help break China’s stranglehold on the critical minerals.
David MadisonJune 24, 2025
Idaho National Lab Wants To Keep Building Wyoming’s Nuclear Industry
The same laboratory that has supported Wyoming’s emerging micro nuclear reactor sector is now inviting more companies to submit proposals. The move comes as Wyoming continues to position itself as a hub for small nuclear reactor development.
David MadisonJune 22, 2025
Despite Opposition From Bar Nunn Residents, Natrona County OKs Nuclear Project
Natrona County commissioners got an earful from locals opposed to Radiant Nuclear’s planned project near Bar Nunn. Then they voted to support the company getting a $25 million grant from the Wyoming Business Council.
David MadisonJune 20, 2025
Black Hills Energy Spending $540M To Connect North-South Wyoming Power Grids
A pair of large-scale Black Hills Energy projects will connect northern and southern Wyoming power grids while adding more natural gas generation. Together, they represent a $540 million outlay.
David MadisonJune 19, 2025
Despite Federal Cuts, Company Says Gillette Carbon Capture Project Not Dead
The Department of Energy scrapping a nearly $50 million grant supporting large-scale carbon capture technology in Gillette is a blow, but won’t kill the project, the company says. Work will continue with a push for private investment.
David MadisonJune 19, 2025
Bar Nunn Residents Push Back On Storing Spent Nuclear Fuel From Microreactors
The central Wyoming town of Bar Nunn, and some state legislators, are divided about a plan for Radiant Nuclear to build its micronuclear plants here. That’s because the plan includes accepting and storing spent nuclear fuel from the company’s reactors.
David MadisonJune 16, 2025
WE Soda Downsizes Wyoming Trona Operation While Ramping Up Production
WE Soda, the world's largest producer of natural soda ash, confirmed this week it’s downsizing positions following a $1.43 billion acquisition of Genesis Alkali's two Wyoming mines.
David MadisonJune 12, 2025
Trump’s EPA To Roll Back Biden-Era Emission Rules On Coal-Fired Power Plants
The EPA is making good on one of President Donald Trump’s campaign promises, announcing Wednesday it's rolling back Biden-era emissions rules on U.S. power plants. Wyoming power providers are pleased with the move.
David MadisonJune 12, 2025
Wyoming Oil And Gas Lease Sale Nets $7.7M, ‘Peanuts’ Compared To Trump’s First Term
The reality of oil and gas leasing in Wyoming hasn’t yet caught up to the Trump administration’s pledge to “unleash American energy.” Tuesday’s sale took in $7.7 million, “peanuts” compared to the $173 million in the best year of Trump’s first term.
David MadisonJune 11, 2025
Green Groups Fight To Save Biden-Era Plan To End Powder River Basin Coal Mining
A federal judge Friday allowed a coalition of tribal and green groups to fight to save a Biden-era rule that would end coal mining in the Powder River Basin by 2041. They’ve been allowed to help fight a lawsuit filed by Wyoming and Montana to reverse the rule.
David MadisonJune 10, 2025
Trump Administration Pushes For 5,000-Well Wyoming Oil And Gas Project
The Trump administration is pushing to move ahead with granting approvals for a 5,000-well oil and gas project in Converse County, Wyoming. A favorable Friday BLM report comes despite a previous court order halting permitting for the project.
David MadisonJune 09, 2025
Trump Administration OKs Expansion Of Montana Mine That Exports Coal To Asia
The Trump administration has approved an expansion of Montana's Bull Mountains underground coal mine, reinforcing its emergency energy directives to fast-track fossil fuels. Opponents say the move is an “end-run” of environmental safeguards.
David MadisonJune 07, 2025