U.S. auto industry rebounds

Minerals are essential to creating the products and technologies that propel our economy and allowing America to compete in the global marketplace. A stable domestic supply of these minerals is particularly essential to a strong U.S. auto industry, as minerals are the building blocks of everything from tires to airbags.

A post from the American Enterprise Institute discussed the most recent jobs report, which found that the auto industry added 26,300 jobs in the past year due to rising demand of American-made vehicles.  But we could be creating even more jobs if it weren’t for the duplicative mining permitting process. Right now, it can take between seven and 10 years to secure the necessary permits to mine in the United Sates, costing millions of U.S. jobs.

NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn also recently discussed this issue on National Journal’s Energy Expert Blog, stressing the importance of domestic minerals production to the future of the electric vehicle industry. The U.S. is 100 percent dependent on foreign suppliers for 18 mineral commodes and more than 50 percent dependent on foreign sources for at least 24 other minerals, including zinc, nickel, manganese and lithium – all major components of electric vehicles, Quinn said.

If U.S. manufacturers, such as automakers, had better access to the minerals they need we could create even more jobs while also decreasing our dependence on foreign countries that provide us with the minerals we need.