Report includes suggestion for R&D into "unconventional sources (minerals obtained from sources such as mine tailings, coal byproducts, extraction from seawater, and geothermal brines)"
Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce released the interagency report that was submitted to the President pursuant to Executive Order 13817, A Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure and Reliable Supplies of Critical Minerals. The report contains a government-wide action plan, including recommendations to advance research and development efforts, increase domestic activity across the supply chain, streamline permitting, and grow the American critical minerals workforce.
This release follows a previous report from the Department of Interior, also required by the executive order, which designated 35 mineral commodities considered critical to the economic and national security of the United States, including uranium, titanium, and rare earth elements.
These critical minerals are necessary components for countless items relied on by millions of Americans, including smartphones, aircraft, computers, and GPS navigation systems, as well as green technologies such as wind turbines, energy efficient lighting, and hybrid vehicle batteries.
