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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In the really old "Rocky and His Friends" TV cartoon show, the flying squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose search for Upsidaisium, a very rare metal known for its anti-gravity properties. Trailed by Cold War spies Boris and Natasha, our heroes are ultimately succeed. Obviously, Upsidaisium is fictitious, but if it did exist, it would certainly be targeted in a new drive by the U.S. government to cut foreign reliance on economically critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, fluorite, manganese and others.
Following the release of a government report pointing out reliance on foreign sources for several mineral commodities that are critical to the U.S. economy and national security, President Donald Trump signed an order last week aimed at boosting domestic production of minerals used in everything from computer chips to batteries to equipment used by the military.
"This executive order will prioritize reducing the nation's vulnerability to disruptions in our supply of critical minerals safely and responsibility for the benefit of the American people," Trump said in a statement. "The United States must not remain reliant on foreign competitors like Russia and China for the critical minerals needed to keep our economy strong and our country safe."
The report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), "Critical Minerals of the United States," focuses on 23 minerals deemed critical to the economy and security of the United States.
According to the report summary, "With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition that competition and conflict over mineral resources can pose significant risks to the manufacturing industries that depend on them. In addition, production of many mineral commodities has become concentrated in relatively few countries (for example, tungsten, rare-earth elements, and antimony in China; niobium in Brazil; and platinum-group elements in South Africa and Russia), thus increasing the risk for supply disruption owing to political, social, or other factors."
The summary continues, "For a number of these commodities--for example, graphite, manganese, niobium, and tantalum--the United States is currently wholly dependent on imports to meet its needs."
Trump ordered the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, and in consultation with the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, to publish a list of critical minerals in the Federal Register, and to develop a strategy to identify new sources of critical minerals and increase activity at all levels of the supply chain, including exploration, mining, concentration, separation, alloying, recycling and reprocessing critical minerals, "ensuring that our miners and producers have electronic access to the most advanced topographic, geologic and geophysical data within U.S. territory to the extent permitted by law and subject to appropriate limitations for purposes of privacy and security, including appropriate limitations to protect critical infrastructure data such as those related to national security areas..."
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said: "Right now the United States is almost completely reliant on foreign adversaries and competitors for many of the minerals that are deemed critical for our national and economic security... The problem is we can't fix the problem if we don't know where the minerals are within our own borders. Other nations are far ahead of us with mapping of their mineral resources, leading to private sector investment overseas rather than right here at home. Drafting a complete topographical and geographic survey of the United States is exactly the kind of task the USGS was created to do."
Zinke ordered what he said are initial steps to producing the first nationwide geological and topographical survey of the United States in modern history.
Zinke said his office will receive a list of recommended options for improving areas and developing critical minerals within 60 days.
Joseph Govreau, Industrial Info's vice president of research for the Metals & Minerals Industry, said, "The fact that the U.S. relies on other countries for supply of strategic minerals is nothing new and has been talked about in the industry for years. Having the government recognize this and place a priority on developing those resources domestically will greatly aid the mining sector and our clients that serve the industry."
The presidential order could provide a boost to domestic miners of critical minerals. Industrial Info is tracking more than $2 billion in active lithium mining projects that are in various stages of development, along with $547 million in cobalt mining projects and $935 million in manganese-related projects.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
Following the release of a government report pointing out reliance on foreign sources for several mineral commodities that are critical to the U.S. economy and national security, President Donald Trump signed an order last week aimed at boosting domestic production of minerals used in everything from computer chips to batteries to equipment used by the military.
"This executive order will prioritize reducing the nation's vulnerability to disruptions in our supply of critical minerals safely and responsibility for the benefit of the American people," Trump said in a statement. "The United States must not remain reliant on foreign competitors like Russia and China for the critical minerals needed to keep our economy strong and our country safe."
The report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), "Critical Minerals of the United States," focuses on 23 minerals deemed critical to the economy and security of the United States.
According to the report summary, "With the increasing demand for a considerably more diverse suite of mineral commodities has come renewed recognition that competition and conflict over mineral resources can pose significant risks to the manufacturing industries that depend on them. In addition, production of many mineral commodities has become concentrated in relatively few countries (for example, tungsten, rare-earth elements, and antimony in China; niobium in Brazil; and platinum-group elements in South Africa and Russia), thus increasing the risk for supply disruption owing to political, social, or other factors."
The summary continues, "For a number of these commodities--for example, graphite, manganese, niobium, and tantalum--the United States is currently wholly dependent on imports to meet its needs."
Trump ordered the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, and in consultation with the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, to publish a list of critical minerals in the Federal Register, and to develop a strategy to identify new sources of critical minerals and increase activity at all levels of the supply chain, including exploration, mining, concentration, separation, alloying, recycling and reprocessing critical minerals, "ensuring that our miners and producers have electronic access to the most advanced topographic, geologic and geophysical data within U.S. territory to the extent permitted by law and subject to appropriate limitations for purposes of privacy and security, including appropriate limitations to protect critical infrastructure data such as those related to national security areas..."
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said: "Right now the United States is almost completely reliant on foreign adversaries and competitors for many of the minerals that are deemed critical for our national and economic security... The problem is we can't fix the problem if we don't know where the minerals are within our own borders. Other nations are far ahead of us with mapping of their mineral resources, leading to private sector investment overseas rather than right here at home. Drafting a complete topographical and geographic survey of the United States is exactly the kind of task the USGS was created to do."
Zinke ordered what he said are initial steps to producing the first nationwide geological and topographical survey of the United States in modern history.
Zinke said his office will receive a list of recommended options for improving areas and developing critical minerals within 60 days.
Joseph Govreau, Industrial Info's vice president of research for the Metals & Minerals Industry, said, "The fact that the U.S. relies on other countries for supply of strategic minerals is nothing new and has been talked about in the industry for years. Having the government recognize this and place a priority on developing those resources domestically will greatly aid the mining sector and our clients that serve the industry."
The presidential order could provide a boost to domestic miners of critical minerals. Industrial Info is tracking more than $2 billion in active lithium mining projects that are in various stages of development, along with $547 million in cobalt mining projects and $935 million in manganese-related projects.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
