American Critical Minerals secured final Utah permits for Green River drilling, advancing domestic potash and lithium supply chain development.
American Critical Minerals Corp. (ACM) has achieved a significant milestone by securing all final Potash Prospecting Permits from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for its 2026 drill program at the Green River Project in Utah. These permits became effective on June 1, 2026, and both the BLM and the State of Utah have accepted the combined reclamation bond of US$549,000, fully permitting and bonding all seven planned drill holes. This development represents the culmination of over a decade of work by the company.
The Green River Project is strategically located in Grand County, Utah, within the renowned Paradox Basin, approximately 20-30 kilometers west of Moab. The project spans an extensive area of approximately 32,530 acres, encompassing 11 State of Utah Potash and Lithium leases, 1,094 Federal placer claims, and 11 Federal potash prospecting permits. The primary objective of the 2026 drill program is to validate historical drill data and to thoroughly assess key potash horizons, as well as clastic zones, for lithium and bromine mineralization within the Paradox and Leadville formations through coring and brine sampling. Historical data from two wells within the project area have already indicated substantial potash zones, exceeding 5 meters in thickness, within Cycle 5 – a geological formation that has been a consistent source for potash mining in the Paradox Basin for over 50 years at Intrepid Potash Inc.'s Moab Solar Solution Mine. The project boasts an impressive 43-101 Exploration Target of 600 million to 1 billion tonnes of sylvinite, with average grades ranging from 19% to 29% KCl.
This advancement carries significant economic and industry-specific impacts. The Green River Project is poised to become a vital domestic source of potash, a critical component for agricultural fertilizers, and lithium, essential for the burgeoning energy transition sector and battery production. The project's location within the Paradox Basin, known for its arid climate and suitability for low-cost, energy-efficient solar solution mining, coupled with excellent existing infrastructure including proximity to towns, rail, highways, power, and water, presents considerable logistical and operational advantages. The potential for a substantial domestic supply of these critical minerals could reduce the United States' reliance on foreign sources, thereby strengthening the national critical minerals supply chain and offering geopolitical advantages. Both potash and lithium were recently added to the 2025 U.S. Geological Survey List of Critical Minerals, underscoring their strategic importance.
The engagement of RESPEC to execute the drill program further highlights American Critical Minerals' commitment to rigorous project execution and data quality, which is crucial for future permitting, potential partnerships, and financing initiatives. With mobilization for the drill program slated for the third quarter of 2026 and an estimated completion time of 45 days per drill hole, the company is set to take a pivotal step in defining the long-term potential of the Green River Project as a multi-commodity asset in the U.S. critical minerals landscape.
