Latest news with #ColdWar-eraDefenseProductionAct
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
US prioritizes recovery of critical minerals from mine waste
* US prioritizes recovery of critical minerals from mine waste Mine waste rich in everything from zinc to tellurium and more * Order could up availability of federal funds in mineral recovery * Firms like Freeport already recovering copper in mining waste * By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON, - The U.S. Interior Department on Thursday took steps to increase recovery of critical minerals, used in everything from electric vehicles to high-tech weapons, from mine waste, coal refuse, tailings and abandoned uranium mines. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed his department to streamline federal regulations on the recovery of the minerals such as rare earths, lithium and cobalt from the waste. The order directs the department to update guidance on making mine waste recovery projects eligible for federal funding and speed up reviews of plans to recover uranium and other minerals from abandoned mines. It also directs the U.S. Geological Survey to map and inventory federal mine waste sites. It was the latest move by the administration of President Donald Trump to boost the domestic mineral industry that has long been dominated on the global stage by China in both production and processing. In March, Trump issued an executive order to invoke a Cold War-era Defense Production Act in an effort to boost processing a range of critical minerals. "This initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to achieving mineral independence and ensuring that America leads the way in advanced technologies that power our future while turning environmental challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation," Burgum said in a release. His department controls large swathes of federal land some of it home to abandoned mines. The department expects the move to attract private investment, support environmental reclamation and boost energy sources. Research by the USGS and state geological surveys has identified sources of minerals like zinc, germanium, tellurium and rare earth elements in shuttered and current mines. Mining companies have embraced recovery. Freeport-McMoRan , for example, expects to produce 800 million pounds of copper annually as soon as 2027 by leaching the metal from piles of waste at its mines previously thought to be worthless. Tar Creek lead and zinc mines near Picher, Oklahoma that were abandoned in the 1970s left behind waste rich in zinc and germanium, minerals the U.S. imports, the department said. In Utah's Bingham Canyon, tellurium, vital for defense technologies, can be extracted from tailings created during copper mining. Recovery of minerals from mining waste is promising but requires new processing methods to protect the environment. Legal issues associated with property rights can also complicate the recovery. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US to sign minerals deal with Ukraine with Ukraine 'very shortly,' Trump says
The United States expects to sign an agreement with Ukraine on access to critical minerals and natural resources "very shortly," U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 20. The two nations had previously planned to sign a minerals deal on Feb. 28, but the plan was derailed after a heated clash between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky. In a comment during a White House event on education on March 20, Trump said the deal was back on track. "We're doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia," Trump said. "And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths with Ukraine." Moments before his remarks, Trump signed an executive order to ramp up U.S. production of critical minerals, invoking emergency powers under the Cold War-era Defense Production Act (DPA). Invoking the DPA suggests that U.S. reliance on mineral imports constitutes a national security threat. Trump's order calls for dramatically expanding and accelerating efforts to mine and process minerals, which may include coal. "It's a big thing in this country," Trump said. "And as you know we're also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world. But in particular Ukraine." The day before Trump's announcement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the U.S. had "moved beyond" the minerals deal with Ukraine and was focusing on achieving "a lasting ceasefire." Leavitt clarified that she was not saying the deal was off the table. The much-anticipated minerals agreement would establish a fund to which Ukraine would contribute 50% of proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure. Ukraine rejected previous versions of the deal on the grounds that they lacked concrete security guarantees. The final deal, which Kyiv approved, did not provide security assurances but did include a line that says the fund "will be reinvested at least annually in Ukraine to promote the safety, security and prosperity of Ukraine." The White House has characterized the agreement as a way for the U.S. to "recoup" the financial aid it has directed to Kyiv since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. U.S. and Ukrainian officials are set to hold another round of talks on March 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The meeting was announced after Trump held separate calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky earlier this week. Following his call with Putin, Trump said that the U.S. was looking to explore trade with Russia, which has "valuable things for us, including very big forms of rare earths." Read also: Putin's 'ceasefire' — Is Russia still bombing Ukraine? We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump invokes emergency powers to boost US critical minerals production
By Jarrett Renshaw and Ernest Scheyder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday invoked emergency powers to boost domestic production of critical minerals used widely across the economy as part of a broad effort to offset China's near-total control of the sector. The move is the latest by Trump to increase U.S. energy and minerals production and comes amid an escalating trade conflict with China, Canada and other large minerals producers that supply American manufacturers. Lithium, nickel and other critical minerals are used in many electronics, and demand is expected to surge in coming years for production of electric-vehicle batteries. China is the world's largest producer or processor of many critical minerals. Trump signed an executive order that taps the Cold War-era Defense Production Act (DPA) as part of an effort to provide financing, loans and other investment support to domestically process a range of critical minerals. The DPA gives the Pentagon wide berth to procure equipment necessary for national defense. Invoking it essentially declares that relying on rival nations for critical minerals constitutes a national security threat. "The United States was once the world's largest producer of lucrative minerals, but overbearing federal regulation has eroded our nation's mineral production," the president said in the order. The order directs federal agencies to create a list of U.S. mines that can be quickly approved as well as which federal lands, including those controlled by the Pentagon, could be used for minerals processing. The U.S. currently produces very little lithium and nickel; its only cobalt mine shuttered last year amid intense Chinese competition. The U.S. does have multiple copper mines, but only two smelters to process the red metal into pipes, wiring and other components. The U.S. has only one mine for rare earths, which are used to make magnets that turn power into motion. Late last year, Beijing imposed an outright ban on exports of gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States, causing U.S. manufacturers to scramble for alternative supplies of those niche-but-vital materials. The order also encourages faster permitting for mining and processing projects and a directive for the Interior Department to prioritize mineral production on federal land. The order directs agencies to help boost U.S. output of copper and gold, neither of which is considered a critical mineral by the U.S. Geological Survey. An executive order from Trump had long been sought by U.S. miners, many of which had long complained that bureaucratic delays hampered output. "Ramping up American mining is a national security imperative and President Trump's strong action recognizes that," said Rich Nolan, head of the National Mining Association trade group. The Defense Production Act is a 1950 law that former President Harry Truman deployed to ramp up steel production for the Korean War. Former President Joe Biden also invoked the law to encourage domestic production of critical minerals, adding battery materials such as lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt and manganese to the list of items covered under the measure to help companies access $750 million in funds. Former Newmont executive David Copley has been named to oversee the mining portfolio for the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council, two sources familiar with the appointment told Reuters. Copley will be the highest-ranking person in the federal government shaping mining policy, one of the sources said. Trump also said on Thursday that the United States will sign a minerals and natural resources deal with Ukraine shortly. Last month he ordered a probe into potential new tariffs on copper imports.
