February 19, 2024--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--As global markets shift and supply and demand for metals and minerals change, mines can be idled or shut down, and should markets shift again, they can be restarted when profitable again. Permitting is a major constraint to new mine development, but restarting a formerly operational mine site can cut the time to permit and bring a mine online. Industrial Info is tracking nearly $15 billion of restart projects at U.S. mines. While not all of these restarts will occur as planned, their presence is indicative of the shifting nature of the global metals and minerals market.

Among the top commodities prompting U.S. mine restarts is uranium, thanks to renewed interest in nuclear generation as governments seek to curb their emissions from power generation.