Mining Firm Eyes U.S. Forest ; China Holds Majority of Rare Earth Supply.

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SUNDANCE, Wyo. (AP) -- A Canadian company hoping to compete with China's near-monopoly of rare earth elements -- metals critical for everything from U.S. military weaponry to wind turbines -- wants to open a strip mine inside a national forest in northeast Wyoming.

Processing raw ore into rare earths is an intensive operation that has been associated with radioactive water spills. But with China slashing exports of rare earths and Washington concerned the U.S. military could face a shortage of materials for lasers, smart bombs, guided missiles, night-vision goggles and jet engines, Don Ranta is optimistic about his Black Hills National Forest mine proposal. "Everything we've seen so far looks very, very bullish for it to be a commercial project," said Ranta, CEO of Vancouver, British Columbia-based Rare Element Resources. If approved and if it goes into production, the mine would be located about 15 miles from Devils Tower National Monument, the nation's first national monument.

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Mining Firm Eyes U.S. Forest ; China Holds Majority of Rare Earth Supply.

For its particular combination of rare earths, Wyoming's Bear Lodge Mountains rank close behind a mine at Mountain Pass in s...

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