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Spotlight on critical minerals ZʬP]^Z[[Z]_`YT_dQZ],WL^VL
I n late May, Chinese President Xi Jinping vis- ited a factory that produces advanced mag- nets from rare earth elements. The reason for his visit was not subtle: it was a clear sign that
earlier this year to provide new authorities and the resources needed to tackle this challenge. My bill provides a comprehensive framework to rebuild our supply chain through geological surveying,
.STYLNZ`WON`_Zʬ_SP@YT_PO>_L_P^ɪ supply of minerals used for everything from smartphones to missile defense systems. While some have attempted to downplay the veiled threat, our min- eral security is a real and growing risk we should all take seriously. China provides 80% of our nation’s supply of rare earths, and the sudden lack of availability could cause a years-long crisis for a range of American manu- facturers and industries. What’s worse is that rare earths are
permitting reform, forecasting, work- force training and research and devel- opment. The administration should be com- mended for its attention to minerals, which began with an Executive Order from President Trump in 2017. That will help us make immediate progress, which my legislation will reinforce over the longer term. And, no state is better positioned to contribute than Alaska. In recent years, several Alaskans with expertise on the subject, have
LISA MURKOWSKI
just the tip of the iceberg. During the past several decades, the U.S. has slowly surrendered much of its minerals supply chain. As a direct result, our QZ]PTRY OP[PYOPYNP SL^ TYN]PL^PO ^TRYTʭNLY_Wd similar to the problem we used to face with oil and gas. In 2018, we imported at least 50% of 48 min- erals, including 100% of 18 of them. Fortunately, there are two major policy develop- ments that promise to help turn the tide. And both ZQ_SPXZYNP]PLWTePObTWWdTPWOXLUZ]MPYPʭ_^QZ] Alaska’s mining industry. ?SPʭ]^_T^L]P[Z]_U`^_]PWPL^POMd_SP/P[L]_ - ment of Commerce, outlining a “whole of govern- ment” strategy to reduce our foreign mineral de- pendence. It includes six calls to action, 24 goals LYO! ^[PNTʭN]PNZXXPYOL_TZY^QZ]QPOP]LWLRPY - cies to help resolve this vulnerability. The strategy calls for streamlined permitting, TOPY_TʭNL_TZY ZQ YPb OZXP^_TN ^Z`]NP^ LOaLYNPO ]P^PL]NS LYO OPaPWZ[XPY_ PʬZ]_^ TYN]PL^PO OZ - mestic activity across the supply chain, and a stronger commitment to a well-trained minerals workforce. Complementing this is my American Miner- al Security Act, a bipartisan bill that I introduced
provided great testimony to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee about our state’s ex- tensive minerals base. From graphite to zirconium, we have potential to produce nearly all of the min- P]LW^ _SL_ SLaP MPPY TOPY_TʭPO L^ N]T_TNLW QZ] Z`] economy and national defense. Alaska has a proud history of mining dating back to the early days before statehood. The responsible development of more of our mineral base will cre- ate high-paying jobs, while at the same time di- versifying our economy. From a national perspec- tive, it will bolster our security, prevent us from having to rely on sometimes-unfriendly nations for our supplies, and make us more internationally competitive. It’s long past time to update our policies and reduce America’s foreign mineral dependence. As we do, Alaska’s mining industry stands to not only MPYPʭ_M`_LW^ZWPLO_SPbLd Lisa Murkowski is Alaska’s senior United States Senator and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resourc- es Committee. Sen. Murkowski also serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where she is the Chairman of the Interior and Environment Subcommittee.
The Alaska Miner
July 2019
36
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