HR 490: Critical Mineral Dominance Act to Establish US as Global Mineral Hub

The Urgency of Critical Minerals

• ⚠️ The US faces a growing and unnecessary dependence on foreign nations for critical minerals essential to its economy and national defense.
• 💡 Minerals like copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements are vital for electricity grids, communication devices, critical infrastructure, and advanced technologies.
• 📈 Demand for these minerals is projected to rise significantly, with lithium demand potentially increasing by up to 500% in the next 15 years, posing a risk of shortages within a decade.

Domestic Mineral Potential and Policy Hindrances

• 🌎 Despite having abundant mineral resources under its soil, the US is not a global leader in mineral supply chains due to outdated and short-sighted federal policies that hinder domestic mining.
• ⛏️ The US possesses the safest, most sophisticated, efficient, and environmentally friendly mining technology and workforce globally.

HR 490: Codifying and Strengthening Policy

• 📜 The Critical Mineral Dominance Act (HR 490) aims to codify natural resource provisions from President Trump's executive orders and mandate further reporting from the Interior Department.
• 📊 These reports will detail the economic costs and national security risks of foreign mineral dependence and clarify the location and scope of US mineral deposits.
• ✅ The bill was strengthened through bipartisan amendments, requiring reports on barriers to byproduct mineral production and the potential for extracting hard rock minerals from coal ash and byproducts.

Benefits of American Mineral Dominance

• 🚫 The alternative to American mineral dominance is reliance on supply chains controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, which benefits no one and compromises security and environmental goals.
• 💰 Achieving American mineral dominance will create thousands of new jobs in mining and related sectors.
• 🌐 It will position the United States as the central hub of the world's mineral market and secure critical minerals for the US military and its allies.
• 🚀 The choice is between leading the world in meeting mineral needs or ceding this responsibility to corrupt regimes and foreign adversaries.