For most of the 20th century, the United States led the world in the production and processing of essential minerals. Copper, tungsten, vanadium, titanium — these were the backbone of American industry, fueling the rise of manufacturing, aerospace, and defense. But over time, that dominance slipped away. How America Lost Its Edge Starting in the 1980s, a mix of global and domestic forces reshaped the mining landscape: Rising environmental regulation made U.S. mining more exp