A Long-Neglected Resource Comes Into Focus: Former CIA Advisor Highlights Historic Oversight of U.S. Mineral Wealth

Jim Rickards Points to Federal Land Policy Dating Back Over a Century—And a New Legal Landscape That Could Bring It Back to the Forefront

/EIN News/ -- WASHINGTON, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For more than a century, the United States has preserved vast amounts of mineral-rich land under federal control. These lands — established during the westward expansion of the 19th century — have long held strategic value, but access to their resources has remained limited.

Now, former CIA advisor Jim Rickards says a recent shift in the legal landscape could prompt a reexamination of how these lands are governed — and how the resources beneath them might be used to strengthen the nation’s position in a time of global volatility.

“It’s not about discovering something new,” Rickards explains. “It’s about revisiting what was already set aside and asking if the time has come to finally use it.” 

That “something” is a vast reserve of mineral-rich land protected under federal law since the late 1800s. And now, for the first time in over a century, it may be poised to re-enter public life.

WRITTEN INTO THE RECORD, NEVER ERASED

According to Rickards, the legal foundation for this reserve was established by the 42nd Congress after the Civil War. The idea was simple: set aside the most valuable land and what lies beneath it for future generations.

“It’s right there in the U.S. Code,” Rickards says. “They didn’t remove it. They didn’t spend it. They left it in place — intact.”

This includes immense quantities of copper, lithium, silver, and rare earths — materials now essential for energy, security, and technology.

THE COURT DECISION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

The reason this asset is surfacing now? In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron Doctrine, a ruling that for decades gave federal agencies practically unchecked power to block access to federally held resources.

“That doctrine gave bureaucrats more control than the courts,” Rickards explains. “Now that control is gone — and what’s been protected by law for generations may finally be reclaimed.”

A LEGACY WAITING TO BE CLAIMED

Rickards says this is not a bailout or a new policy proposal. It’s a long-standing part of the legal structure of the country — one designed to withstand time, politics, and even war.

“This isn’t about creating something new. It’s about honoring something old,” Rickards says.
“It was always meant to be there for the people. It’s just never been used.”

About Jim Rickards

Jim Rickards is a lawyer, economist, and national security expert who has advised the CIA, Pentagon, and U.S. Treasury. With more than 40 years of experience in financial warfare, crisis strategy, and legal intelligence, Rickards is the bestselling author of Currency Wars, The Death of Money, and The Road to Ruin.

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