When asked whether Wyoming and rare earths came up in White House conversations, Stopper was emphatic. "Ramaco did, and so did the topic of rare earths and critical minerals. "In both places, which are closely intertwined, critical minerals and rare earths were a top priority.”The connection to Ramaco isn't new for Stopper. The company acquired the mine in 2011 and has been exploring its rare earth potential since 2019 in collaboration with the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory. The mine has been called "the largest unconventional rare earth deposit in North America" by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, according to the company's shareholder letter.