President Donald Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday that he said will “dramatically increase” U.S. production of critical minerals and rare-earth elements. He also said that a rare-earths deal with Ukraine is imminent.

President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal providing the U.S. with access to Ukraine’s rare earths is back on -- and again close to being signed.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump moved to unleash domestic mining for critical minerals and rare earth elements in the name of national security.

President Donald Trump is invoking emergency powers to boost the ability of the US to produce critical minerals — and potentially coal — as part of a broad effort to ramp up the development of domestic natural resources and make the country less reliant on foreign imports.

President Donald Trump wants to mine for more critical minerals in the United States and chisel away at China’s dominance over a global supply chain that’s vital to American technology. Those same minerals are also crucial for the United States’ clean energy industry — even if that’s not a cause dear to the president’s heart.