Trump administration greenlights Anfield Energy’s Velvet-Wood uranium mine after accelerated review

The Trump administration has fast-tracked approval for Anfield Energy’s Velvet-Wood uranium mine in Utah, marking the first project cleared under emergency permitting procedures to boost U.S. energy and mineral independence.

The Trump administration has approved the Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mining project in Utah, granting Canadian firm Anfield Energy the green light to begin operations after an unusually swift 14-day environmental review. This decision marks the first project approved under new emergency procedures established to expedite energy and mining projects on federal lands.

Typically, environmental reviews for uranium mining operations take several years due to the complex and potentially hazardous nature of such activities. However, the Velvet-Wood project was processed under a streamlined approach initiated by President Donald Trump as part of a national energy emergency declaration made on his first day in office. The goal of the initiative is to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign mineral imports, lower energy costs, and strengthen national security.

According to the Interior Department, Anfield Energy submitted its plan of operations for the Velvet-Wood project on April 1. The mine, located in San Juan County, Utah, is situated at the site of a former mining operation and is expected to produce uranium for both nuclear energy generation and defense purposes, as well as vanadium — a metal used in high-strength alloys and next-generation battery technologies.

“This approval marks a turning point in how we secure America’s mineral future,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a statement. “By streamlining the review process for critical mineral projects like Velvet-Wood, we’re reducing dependence on foreign adversaries and ensuring our military, medical and energy sectors have the resources they need to thrive. This is mineral security in action.”

Anfield Energy has not yet issued a public comment regarding the approval.

The fast-track permitting policy reflects the Trump administration’s broader agenda of promoting domestic resource development by cutting regulatory red tape, a move that has drawn both praise from the mining sector and criticism from environmental advocates concerned about potential long-term ecological impacts.

As the first project approved under this new framework, Velvet-Wood is seen as a test case for future mineral developments that may now face significantly fewer regulatory hurdles — a development that could reshape the U.S. mining landscape in the years to come.