美国矿业公司3 Proton Lithium在内华达州发现了美国最大的钨矿床[1]。该矿床位于东部大盆地沙漠的Railroad Valley项目区，资源量约为178万吨[1]，按当前价格计算价值约1520亿美元[1]，规模将是美国目前第二大钨矿床的五倍以上[1]。然而，美国国家航空航天局因该矿区三分之一的面积用于卫星信号接收而阻止开采[1]。
面对开采障碍，3 Proton Lithium已筹集近5000万美元资金[1]，并正在游说政府推翻2023年的采矿禁令[1]。该项目已被纳入美国联邦FAST-41快速审批计划[1]。公司高管Kevin Moore表示："这项发现不止是一个采矿项目，而是一个国家安全问题"[1]。这一立场反映了钨矿开采的战略意义——美国十年前就停止了本土钨矿开采，如今依赖进口[1]。2025年2月以来，全球钨价累计上涨近600%[1]。不过，业内人士Timothy Puko指出："即便一切顺利，矿山开发最快也要五年左右才能实现"[1]。
American mining company 3 Proton Lithium has identified what is believed to be the largest tungsten deposit in the United States, located in Nevada's eastern Great Basin Desert.[1] The deposit contains approximately 1.78 million metric tons of tungsten resources, valued at roughly $152 billion at current prices.[1] This discovery represents a resource base more than five times larger than the country's second-largest tungsten mine.[1]
However, the project faces significant regulatory hurdles. NASA has blocked mining operations on the site, as one-third of the deposit's area is utilized for satellite signal reception.[1] The company has raised approximately $50 million and is actively lobbying the government to overturn a 2023 mining ban to move the project forward.[1] The Railroad Valley project has been included in the U.S. federal FAST-41 expedited approval program.[1]
The discovery carries broader strategic implications for American mineral security. The United States halted domestic tungsten mining a decade ago and now depends entirely on imports.[1] According to Kevin Moore, this development represents more than just a mining initiative, constituting "a national security issue."[1] However, challenges remain in timeline expectations. Timothy Puko noted that even with favorable conditions, mine development would require approximately five years minimum to become operational.[1] Global tungsten prices have surged nearly 600 percent cumulatively since February 2025, underscoring the market significance of domestic production capacity.[1]
