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.

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“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