Reuters reports that concern over the supply shortage of key Rare Earths elements has led policymakers in the U.S., the EU and Japan to schedule an early October meeting in Washington.  According to a U.S. Government source:

Experts and officials will discuss …how to team up to develop high-tech goods – such as electric car motors and wind turbines – that are less dependent on coveted rare earth minerals, and how to make better use of those minerals that are available….

“We need to find out, how can you use less and how can you get more, said the U.S. Department of Energy official put it. “Talks may also broaden to include officials from producing countries such as Canada and Australia,” he said.

In the run up to the October session, maybe U.S. policymakers will discuss why the United States isn’t considered a “producing country” for Rare Earths – or for dozens of other critical metals and minerals, when in fact we have millions of metric tons of known reserves.

It’s a question I’ll put to the key staffers I’m meeting tomorrow and Wednesday in House and Senate briefings I’m doing, alongside officials from TheMoreYouDig.com and the Mining & Metallurgical Society of America.