Senators call for investment in critical minerals as pandemic highlights supply chain risk

摘要

The coronavirus pandemic has hit home the need to rebuild strong domestic supply chains, a key lawmaker for the energy space said June 24, as she called on legislators and regulators to firm up a strategy for procuring and processing the critical minerals that underlie the US transition to a clean energy economy. Access to critical minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite, is seen as vital to the US clean energy industry’s ability to innovate and stay ahead in globally competitive markets. The raw materials are used in solar, wind, electric storage, and other green technologies. Yet, the US imported at least half of its supply of 46 minerals in 2019, with imports accounting for 100% of US supplies for 17 of those minerals, according to the US Geological Survey. “That means we are placing our fate on others’ ability and willingness to sell to us, and we are forcing American manufacturers to develop complex global supply chains that sometimes prompt them to realize it would be cheaper and easier to locate somewhere else,” Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican-Alaska, said. China has taken the top seat as the world’s leader in mining, processing, and fabrication of rare earth elements. With that shift has come growing geopolitical risk and concern that US access to critical minerals could one day be restricted, jeopardizing both national security and the US transition to a clean energy economy.