Press Releases

U.S. Defense Agencies Look to ARPN Experts for Critical Input on Metals and National Security

The American Resources Policy Network has been invited by the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency/Strategic Materials (DLA/SM) and the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) to take part in the 2015 National Defense Stockpile (NDS) Requirements Report process, assessing potential shortfalls in strategic and critical metals.

“We’re honored that the Defense Logistics Agency and the Institute for Defense Analyses have asked American Resources to be part of the stockpile requirements assessment,” said Daniel McGroarty, President and founder of ARPN. “This is an indication of the progress ARPN has made in establishing
our programs and our experts as leaders in all aspects of resource development, both practice and policy.”

ARPN has been asked to organize a number of confidential, invitation-only sessions on strategic and critical metals identified by DLA and IDA. The first session takes place today.

The National Defense Stockpile Requirements Report estimates potential shortfalls in the supply of strategic and critical materials that could occur in the context of a future national security emergency. To mitigate potential risks associated with the shortfalls, the Report considers multiple mitigation options, ranging from traditional government stockpiling, contingency supplier arrangements, and production-capacity building, to material substitution or use of alternatives, and material re-use/recycling. Materials assessed for the report are those identified as essential to both U.S. civilian and military demand during a postulated national emergency.

By statute, the Report is submitted by the Secretary of Defense to the Congressional Armed Services Committees.

ARPN’s 2012 Washington Conference focused on Critical Metals Strategy, and the ARPN study, released in concurrence with the conference – Daniel McGroarty and Sandra Wirtz’s Reviewing Risk: Critical Metals & National Security – featured the American Resources Risk Pyramid, 46 metals and minerals recognized in unclassified defense and national security reports as being critical and strategic to U.S. defense systems and applications.

Download the Risk Report here.

Forum linking metals and national security first of its kind

WASHINGTON, D.C. 10/26 – The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) has announced that it will hold a conference to examine the link between rare earths, critical metals, energy, and national security. The event, entitled Rare Earths, Critical Metals, and National Security will take place on Wednesday, November 2, and is the first metals conference to focus on national defense.

“It’s time to bring the national security side of critical metals into the discussion,” said Daniel McGroarty, president of the American Resources Policy Network, which is co-sponsoring the conference.  “Security of resource supply is critical to our competitiveness, our technological advancement — and to the weapons systems on which the U.S. depends.”

McGroarty, Gareth Hatch and Kent Butts, American Resources experts, will attend the conference as moderator and panelists, respectively. McGroarty will moderate a panel entitled “Specialty Metals: Assessing Strategic Need” on which Butts will serve as a panelist, while Hatch will serve as a panelist on the “Rare Earth Elements” panel.

The featured speaker is Dr. David Diamond, Team Leader of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Strategy Report, who will present his lecture, “Energy Security as National Security.” Other speakers include individuals from the Department of Defense’s Logistic Agency, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Boeing Corporation.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will deliver the luncheon keynote, while Congressmen Mike Coffman (R-CO) and Doug Lamborn (R-CO) will also appear to discuss strategic resource supply with regard to current legislation.  All three legislators have pending congressional bills relating to critical metals or rare earths.

Rare earths are essential components of our national defense systems and can be found in items ranging from surveillance devices to weapons technology. Despite their widespread application, a 2010 U.S. Defense Stockpile report states, “[U.S.] defense leaders do not necessarily know exactly which minerals they use in which systems in what amounts, [and] where the minerals came from…”

That the U.S. is almost entirely dependent on China for these materials is also a major cause for concern. The NCPA conference will be critical in exploring a long-term solution for these issues.

“Rare Earths, Critical Metals, and National Security” will be held on November 2 in the Capitol Hill Hyatt Regency in Washington D.C.  To register to attend, please contact Carolyn Needham at 202.220.3195 or Carolyn.needham@ncpa.org

CopperMatters.org Shows that Resource Dependency goes beyond Rare Earth Elements Washington, D.C. – The American Resources Policy Network announced today that it would expand on its messaging in favor of exploring the available non-fuel resources in America by launching a campaign for copper, antimony, and lithium – elements readily available in the country, yet not [...]

American Resources expert and Technology Metals Research co-founder, Gareth Hatch, has released a new study that highlights the implications of the supply and demand over rare earths elements. Hatch’s research also delves into how the United States can mitigate the current REE shortage. The Critical Rare Earths Report features detailed evaluations of the supply challenges and qualitative rankings [...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Resources Policy Network has announced two new volunteer directors who will advise American Resources Principal Daniel McGroarty on the direction of the organization: Anne Darconte, Former Director of Outreach at the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA), and Captain Nelson P. Jackson, U.S. Navy (Ret.), President and principal owner of [...]

Tuesday, May 24th at 9:00 a.m. EST, I will be testifying on behalf of ARPN before the House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, which is holding a hearing on the issue of “domestic minerals supplies and demands in a time of foreign supply disruption.” Download and read the release announcing [...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 9) – The American Resources Policy Network (ARPN) today announced its formation as a panel of mining policy experts and thought leaders dedicated to promoting the exploration and development of U.S. domestic metal and mineral resources…[Read more]