Critical Minerals: Limited Available Information on the Full Extent of Foreign Investment in Mining on Federal Lands

The U.S. critical mineral supply chain faces numerous constraints, including the need for substantial capital investment and limited domestic processing capacity. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service oversee hardrock mines on federal land. As of February 2026, there were 632 approved hardrock mining plans of operation on federal land.

The 1872 Mining Law generally requires mining claimants to be U.S. citizens or business entities incorporated in the U.S. Foreign businesses can meet this requirement by having a U.S. subsidiary serve as the claimant. However, the extent of foreign investment in mining on federal lands remains unclear. GAO reviewed ownership information of 43 claimants and operators associated with critical mineral mines on federal lands and found that 14 were subsidiaries of foreign entities.

GAO determined ownership for 32 of those companies and found that none of the 14 had Chinese-owned parent companies. However, in at least two cases, Chinese entities had financial interest in the foreign parent companies. The 1872 Mining Law does not require the BLM or Forest Service to collect information on foreign parent companies, nor does it require claimants or operators to submit information regarding foreign ownership.

Other federal agencies, such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, have authorities and processes to identify foreign investment in mining. This committee, chaired by the Department of the Treasury, can review foreign investment in mining as it relates to potential national security concerns. GAO's review of ownership information and analysis of federal laws and interviews with officials aimed to provide information on the extent of foreign investment in mining on federal lands.

The report also provides information on the amount of extracted critical minerals exported from the U.S. from 2019 through 2025. GAO's review of ownership information and analysis of federal laws and interviews with officials aimed to provide this information. The findings of this report are intended to inform policymakers and the public about the extent of foreign investment in mining on federal lands.

The critical mineral supply chain is essential to the economic and national security of the United States. These minerals, including copper, lithium, and zinc, are key components in advanced technologies and have vulnerable supply chains. The administration and Congressional entities have expressed concerns over U.S. dependence on imports and the role of potential adversary nations, such as the People’s Republic of China (China), in the U.S. supply chain of critical minerals.