The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Metal Tech News - November 20, 2024
The World Bank estimates that 1.1 trillion pounds of copper will need to be mined over the next 25 years to install the clean energy infrastructure needed to achieve global climate goals.
Juan Ciscomani
DOE has identified 18 mineral products (19 counting uranium) as near critical to critical.
Copper is so essential to wiring the energy transition that the World Bank estimates global mining operations will need to produce as much of this ubiquitous metal over the next 25 years as has been mined over the 5,000 years since the dawn of the Bronze Age. Despite the economic and geopolitical implications of a world demanding 1.1 trillion pounds of newly mined copper to wire the clean energy future, this essential element is not found on the official list of 50 minerals and metals critical to the United States.
Juan Ciscomani
The Critical Mineral Consistency Act introduced by recently re-elected Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) and passed by the House with a strongly bipartisan vote of 245-155 on Nov. 14 would help to right this oversight.
"Critical Minerals are essential for our economy, national security, and clean energy technologies. As demand for these strategic resources continues to increase, the United States must ensure access to a reliable supply," said Ciscomani.
The basic premise of the bill now heading to the Senate for further consideration is to bring parity to separate critical minerals and materials lists compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Energy.
USGS, which is charged with compiling America's official list of critical minerals, has refused to include copper to the list. While this decision has been highly contested by mining leadership and many policymakers, USGS contends that even though the demand for copper is expected to skyrocket, an abundance of global reserves lowers the supply risks and, thus, the criticality of the conductive metal.
"While copper is clearly an essential mineral commodity, its supply chain vulnerabilities are mitigated by domestic capacity, trade with reliable partners, and significant secondary capacity. As a result, the USGS does not believe that the available information on copper supply and demand justifies an out-of-cycle addition to the list at this time," USGS Director Dave Applegate penned in a letter Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's (R-Ariz.) query into why copper was omitted from the critical minerals list.
In 2023, DOE created its own list of 18 materials critical to energy, with an emphasis on those essential for an electrically powered future that is at risk for potential supply disruptions.
DOE has identified 18 mineral products (19 counting uranium) as near critical to critical.
DOE's list of "the electric eighteen" critical materials were all determined to be "critical" or "near critical" to energy in either the short or medium term – with the exception of uranium.
Despite its importance to fueling nuclear as a zero-emissions baseload power source for the clean energy future, uranium is not included on either the USGS or DOE critical lists due to semantics – the term "non-fuel mineral, element, substance, or material" is in the definition of critical minerals and materials.
The lack of parity between the USGS and DOE lists has created confusion and excluded copper and other mined materials deemed critical by DOE from certain tax credits, improved permitting processes, and other benefits that come with being on the USGS list aimed at breaking America's reliance on imports.
If signed into law, Congressman Ciscomani's legislation would merge the materials deemed critical by the USGS and DOE into a single master list of minerals and metals critical to America's economy, national security, and energy future.
"[T]he Critical Mineral Consistency Act will ensure parity between U.S. Geological Survey critical minerals and Department of Energy materials lists to strengthen our domestic supply chain and include copper, electrical steel, silicon, and silicon carbide on the critical minerals list, a long overdue classification," he said.
Out of these energy materials that would be elevated from the DOE to USGS list, copper has been the most advocated for.
"This vote highlights copper's essential role in powering America's energy future, electrifying transportation, creating jobs, and strengthening infrastructure," Copper Development Association President and CEO Adam Estelle said of the House's passage of the Critical Mineral Consistency Act. "This is a significant win for U.S. manufacturing, the clean energy transition, and our nation's global competitiveness."
If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the Critical Mineral Consistency Act would require the USGS to update its critical minerals list to include materials on the DOE's list within 45 days.
For its part, the USGS is mandated by the Energy Act of 2020 to update America's official critical minerals list every three years, with the next update due in 2025.
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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