On February 6, 2025 The House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a hearing titled Mineral Security is National Security. During the hearing Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) entered a report published by the Institute of Energy Research titled The Economic and Strategic Importance of Domestic Mineral Production.
Some of the key findings from the report:
A “net zero” carbon emissions policy requires significantly more critical minerals than we are using now.
Critical mineral processing and production are currently concentrated in China, meaning that pursuing a “net zero” strategy will have serious implications for both national and energy security.
The increase in demand for these minerals and materials is already putting upward pressure on prices. If we don’t take steps to simplify the process of permitting and opening mines in the U.S., these problems will only get worse over time
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The full report is available to download here.
