Texas is sitting on a mineral goldmine that could reshape America's critical supply chain — and one state official wants the nation to pay attention.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham appeared on FOX Business' "Mornings with Maria" on Monday to discuss the Round Top rare-earth deposit in West Texas, arguing the project could generate billions for Texas public schools while reducing U.S. dependence on Chinese mineral supplies.
According to Fox Business, the Round Top site, located in West Texas, is considered one of the richest known deposits of heavy rare-earth minerals in North America. Buckingham told host Maria Bartiromo that the deposit contains a remarkable concentration of the minerals most critical to modern defense and technology applications. Officials are now focusing on the infrastructure needed to process those minerals domestically.
"There are 17 rare-earth minerals. We have 15... We're heavy in the heavies. Those are the really important ones," Buckingham said during the segment. Heavy rare earths are essential components in everything from advanced weapons systems to electric vehicle motors and wind turbines.
The distinction between "heavy" and "light" rare earths matters enormously. Heavy rare earths are far scarcer globally, and China has historically dominated the processing and refining of these materials, giving Beijing significant leverage over global supply chains.
Buckingham made clear that the economic upside extends beyond national defense. "It's going to be billions of dollars into public education... We're breaking China's stronghold on this market. We are making Texas safer," she said.
Under Texas law, revenue from mineral extraction on state-owned land flows into the Permanent School Fund, which supports public education across the state. If the Round Top project scales as projected, the financial windfall for Texas schoolchildren could be substantial. Buckingham emphasized this dual benefit — security and education — throughout her appearance.
"It's going to be billions of dollars to the schoolchildren of Texas, and it's going to make the United States and the whole world safer," she stated. That's a compelling pitch: strengthen the nation's strategic position while funding classrooms. The commissioner also indicated that Round Top is not the only opportunity under review. "We have lots of rare-earth minerals all over the region. We are looking at those deposits right now," Buckingham said, suggesting that exploration is expanding across West Texas.
Supporters of domestic rare-earth development contend that the United States has spent decades outsourcing critical mineral production to adversarial nations, creating a vulnerability that is both economic and military in nature. The argument is straightforward: a nation that cannot source its own strategic materials is a nation at risk.
That concern appears to be gaining traction at the federal level as well. A related headline referenced President Donald Trump moving to stockpile critical minerals with $12 billion in seed money. A separate headline noted a $1.5 billion rare-earth deal aimed at reducing China's dominance in the supply chain.
USA Rare Earth CEO Barbara Humpton was also listed as joining "Mornings with Maria" to discuss fast-tracking the Round Top project and securing America's critical mineral supply. The convergence of state and federal interest, combined with private-sector involvement, suggests momentum is building behind domestic rare-earth development.
From a free-market perspective, the case for domestic mineral processing is not about protectionism — it's about removing a distortion. China's dominance in rare earths was built partly through state subsidies and lax environmental enforcement that undercut competitors worldwide. Encouraging U.S. production levels levels the playing field rather than tilting it.
For investors and taxpayers watching this story, the key question is execution. Rare-earth mining and processing are capital-intensive and technically complex. The infrastructure buildout Buckingham referenced will determine whether Round Top becomes a functioning supply hub or remains a promising deposit on paper. The involvement of companies like USA Rare Earth signals that private capital is willing to bet on this project's viability.
The bottom line is this: Texas may hold a significant piece of the puzzle when it comes to American strategic independence. If officials and private enterprise can deliver on the processing infrastructure, Round Top could become a cornerstone of a more resilient U.S. supply chain — and a windfall for Texas public education in the process.