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Dominican Republic critical mineral exploration

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2026-09-21 18:01 UTC → 2026-09-22 22:13 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Dominican Republic is advancing exploration for critical minerals and rare earth elements within the Ávila Fiscal Mining Reserve in Pedernales. Through a cooperation framework with the United States, the government aims to bolster strategic supply chains and attract investment, with plans to declare commercial reserves by 2027. Political scrutiny remains a factor, as the Communist Workers' Party (PCT) and other figures continue to call for greater transparency regarding international agreements to protect national sovereignty and ensure economic benefits. To support these operations and local safety, the mining company Emidom and the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) have partnered to install three automatic weather stations in Pedernales. This initiative aims to improve climate monitoring and early warning systems for local communities. Recent developments have formalized this cooperation. The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United States Embassy have entered into an agreement to cooperate on the extraction and processing of critical minerals and rare earth elements. These materials are identified as strategic for the production of advanced technologies and next-generation weaponry. As the program progresses, officials are preparing to process data in November following the analysis of over 5,000 samples in international laboratories. This analysis aims to move beyond current ‘inferred’ estimates to clarify the actual volume of available resources. President Luis Abinader has projected that the country could begin exporting rare earth elements by 2028, provided the government can overcome technical challenges regarding refining capacity. To support this, the administration intends to conduct a refining test next year and is considering a minimum price mechanism to protect project competitiveness. The Inter-American Development Bank has expressed readiness to support regional development through technical cooperation and financing.

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