ton, DC, in mid-July. "For example, the Red Dog Mine produces 4% of the world's zinc, a commodity that is on the latest list of critical minerals. That mine is also North America's largest producer of germanium, another crit - ical mineral that has been in the news lately for its role in advanced technol- ogy applications." Germanium's headline-grabbing notoriety came when China let the world know it is placing state-con - trolled restrictions on the exports of this semiconductor metalloid used in fiber optics, solar panels, and quan - tum computers starting on Aug. 1. China is also curbing the exports of gallium, another semiconductor that is critical to manufacturing the com- puter chips that go in everything from laptops and automobiles to refrigera - tors and toys. It was more by providence than design that policymakers and busi - ness leaders at both the state and fed- eral levels convened in the nation's capital for a two-day summit to ad - vance Alaska's critical mineral policy recommendations as the China semi- conductor metals ban story was un- folding. During this Critical Minerals in the
Arctic summit, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, talked extensively about Alaska's potential to break America's dependence on critical mineral im - ports and what that could mean for the Far North State. Referring to the enormous stores of oil and gas on Alaska's North Slope that have driven Alaska's economy for the past five decades, she said, "I think minerals could be our next Prudhoe – I think it could be a huge economic engine for our state that can help provide resources that our coun - try needs to compete in this 21st cen - tury." When it comes to the natural re - sources America needs to compete in the 21st century, the minerals, and metals critical to lithium-ion batter- ies are currently very high on the list. "The United States depends on unreliable foreign sources for many of the strategic and critical mate- rials necessary for the clean energy transition – such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese for large-capacity batteries. Demand for such materials is projected to increase exponentially as the world transi - tions to a clean energy economy," President Joe Biden penned in a 2022
memorandum directing the Pentagon to utilize Defense Production Act Title III funding to support sustainable and responsible domestic production of strategic and critical minerals. DOD invests in Graphite One As part of its White House-directed critical minerals mission, the Penta- gon announced in mid-July that it is investing $37.5 million to support the accelerated completion of a feasibility study for Graphite One's envisioned domestic advanced graphite supply chain solution anchored by Graphite Creek, a project about 35 miles north of Nome, Alaska, that hosts the larg- est known graphite deposit on Amer - ican soil. "This Department of Defense grant underscores our confidence in our strategy to build a 100% U.S.-based advanced graphite supply chain – from mining to refining to recycling," said Graphite One CEO Anthony Hus - ton. "The U.S. simply cannot main - tain a 21st century tech-driven econ- omy without critical minerals like graphite." CONTINUED on PAGE 58
Developing Alaska's
Next Gold Mines
FAIRBANKS, AK
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57
Fall 2023
The Alaska Miner
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