North Dakota's Rare Earth Riches: A Promising Road Map.

The North Dakota Geological Survey has released a report that provides a roadmap to explore lignite coal and organic-rich mudstone that contains enriched critical minerals, including rare earth minerals, copper, lithium, nickel, and cobalt. The report is the latest in a series of studies by state geologists exploring the extent of rare earth minerals and other critical minerals that officials believe could be the foundation for a new mining and processing industry in North Dakota. Private companies are encouraged to use the report to do explorations of their own, which could produce additional discoveries and provide the beginnings of a critical mineral industry in the state.