Senator pushes to end US dependence on China for critical minerals

[Elderberry]

Mining Journal 5/13/2020

US senator Ted Cruz has introduced legislation to end what he describes as the country’s “dangerous dependence” on China for rare earth elements and critical minerals.

He said yesterday the Onshoring Rare Earths Act of 2020, or ORE Act, was designed to establish a supply chain in the US, by providing tax incentives for the rare earths industry, requiring the Department of Defense to source the minerals domestically and establishing grants for pilot programs to develop the materials in the US.

"Our ability as a nation to manufacture defence technologies and support our military is dangerously dependent on our ability to access rare earth elements and critical minerals mined, refined, and manufactured almost exclusively in China," he said.

He said if China cut off access to these materials it would significantly threaten US national security.

More: https://www.mining-journal.com/politics/news/1386802/senator-pushes-to-end-us-dependence-on-china-for-critical-minerals

[PeteS in CA]

Get the EPA off mining companies' and ore processors' backs. Not allow stupid stuff, just render the EPA's NIMBYism impotent.

[Smokin Joe]

Get the EPA off mining companies' and ore processors' backs. Not allow stupid stuff, just render the EPA's NIMBYism impotent.

If you compare and contrast the amount of pollution (not CO2, but pollution) going on vs what there was during the Nixon Administration, we've cleaned up our act substantially. The laws are in place (we don't need more, and some are counterproductive with little or no benefit).
It's time to shut down an agency that has of late been primarily obstructionist and lobbying for climate change cures.