Interesting, & not necessarily in a good way. This method could well presage unprecedented numbers of attempts at eminent domain takings or other means of forcing people out of their properties.
National security (by identifying and processing rare earth metals and materials domestically) is vastly more important to society than a few dozen homes somewhere.
sure. just make sure to pay them what their land is worth... with the lithium below.
Is there case law on how deep land goes? I could imagine that there will be in the near future.