The National Mining Association (NMA) and the Essential Minerals Association (EMA) both applauded the release of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) draft revised critical minerals list, which now includes copper, lead, potash, rhenium, silicon and silver.
In releasing the draft list, the USGS noted that it does not include uranium or metallurgical coal, as both are considered “fuels,” which are currently excluded from the list. However, the Secretary of the Interior has the discretion to include both in the final list when it is published in 30 days.
“We applaud the USGS for updating its critical minerals list with a number of minerals that are essential to everything from rebuilding and modernizing the nation’s infrastructure to supporting our national security and providing the irreplaceable inputs to advance our technological leadership,” said Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the NMA.
“At the same time, the NMA believes all minerals are critical. Many so-called critical minerals are only found because they are either co-located with or are produced in the processing of other minerals. And the rapid pace of innovation means the minerals used in today’s technologies may be different than those needed tomorrow. Given those realities, any policies applied to a critical mineral listing should be applicable to all U.S. mined materials.”
EMA President Chris Greissing added, “The inclusion of minerals, such as barite, potash and silver, is a step in the right direction, given their importance to agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and tech. However, we believe the list should also include a more forward-looking approach to anticipate future supply chain disruptions and shortages, rather than reactive to current issues.”
According to the Department of Interior, the draft list will guide federal strategy, investment, and permitting decisions designed to secure the minerals needed to drive the U.S. economy and protect national security. It informs direct investments in mining and resource recovery from mine waste, stockpiles, tax incentives for U.S. mineral processing, and streamlined mining permitting.
“This proposal is a terrific first step in addressing the need to strengthen domestic mineral supply chains,” Greissing said. “We look forward to working with the Trump administration and Congress to maximize the effectiveness of the critical minerals list in order to provide the support necessary to increase domestic mineral production and processing, bring manufacturing jobs back to our shores, and reduce our dependence on hostile nations for our essential mineral resources.”