NAM Calls for Greater Critical Minerals Recycling and Recovery

As part of its comprehensive critical minerals strategy, the NAM is urging policymakers to support the recovery and recycling of critical minerals, an important means of bolstering U.S. domestic supply.

Why it matters: Critical minerals are essential inputs for products as wide-ranging as military aircraft and cell phones, but the U.S. is dangerously reliant on China for these materials, the NAM told the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on the Environment.

• The U.S. is completely reliant on foreign suppliers for 13 crucial minerals and over 50% reliant for another 20, the NAM pointed out.

What to do: “Congress should focus its efforts on enacting meaningful reforms to spur innovation and increase our mining, processing, recycling and recovery capacity,” the NAM said.

• Meanwhile, permitting reform and investments in workforce development will allow U.S. producers and recyclers to build and staff more facilities.
• Last, the U.S. must cement partnerships with its allies to rebalance the global market for critical minerals and open up new avenues of supply for domestic manufacturers.

The last word: “We look forward to continuing to partner with you and the full Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure that the United States can leverage its domestic critical mineral resources while also strengthening the resilience and reliability of global critical mineral supply chains,” said NAM Senior Director of Energy and Resources Policy Michael Davin and NAM Vice President of Domestic Policy Chris Phalen.