How Utah mining could help ease China’s grip on critical minerals
Utah Mining Association President Brian Somers recently testified before the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources, extolling the virtues of the state’s diverse mining industry while at the same time issuing a stern warning to lawmakers.
“Demand for minerals is expected to increase radically in the coming years, yet domestically produced minerals currently meet less than half of the needs of U.S. manufacturers, creating an untenable strategic vulnerability for our economic and national security,” he testified.
Somers cited a minerals commodities report by the U.S. Geological Survey that said the United States is more than 50% dependent on foreign imports for 51 important mineral commodities, including 15 in which the country is 100% import-reliant.