Legislation aims to decrease U.S. reliance on foreign minerals

A recent article in Human Events discusses the Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012—legislation introduced last month by Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) in an effort to increase access to domestic minerals essential to advanced energy technologies and American innovation at-large. The bill aims to reverse a 30-year trend of increased reliance on foreign countries for strategic minerals we can produce here at home.

Hal Quinn, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, recently testified to members of the House Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee in support of the legislation, stating:

“Delaying permits for mining projects is not a new problem. What is new is the growing awareness of its implications for our nation, particularly in a highly competitive world economy in which the demand for minerals continues to grow, especially in fast growing economies led by China and India.”

Ars Technica, a leading technology and IT publication, recently touched on the topic of mineral import reliance and pointed to a report from the Congressional Research Office that suggests foreign policies restricting rare earth exports—such as those from China—are not expected to change any time soon, emphasizing the need for a more efficient U.S. permitting process.

Read the full Human Events article here and the Ars Technica piece here.