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On November 2, 2011, the NCPA will convene key policy makers, executive branch analysts and think tank experts at a one-day Capitol Hill conference to discuss the explicit link between rare earths, critical metals, energy and national security.

Rare earths and a broader group of “critical metals” are essential to the high-tech and green-tech sectors — but these applications are just one part of the larger story. Critical metals are key elements of dozens of weapons systems and surveillance platforms that provide the cornerstone of our national security — with components all-too-often dependent on foreign sources of supply.

To register to attend, please contact Carolyn Needham at:
202.220.3195 or Carolyn.needham@ncpa.org

Click here for the full conference schedule.

October is here – and so is Copper Month.

We’re kicking off our informational campaign to highlight the breadth of our nation’s metals and minerals needs by drilling down into the many utilities of and challenges associated with copper – a mainstay industrial metal that has more in common with the often-discussed rare earth elements  (REEs) than you would think.

Increasing demand, particularly in Asia, and growing global supply challenges warrant a closer look at the base metal, which plays a largely underestimated role in the generation of economic growth, social well-being and economic security.

You may wonder how copper ties into the broader issue of U.S. resource dependency, if compared to the near total dependence on foreign REE imports, we only import 30% of the copper we use today – which may not sound like a big deal.  It’s the historical perspective that matters, though:

In 1993, the year the last metric ton of copper was sold out of the National Defense Stockpile, U.S. mines produced 1.8 million metric tons of copper – roughly 60% more than in 2010.   This means that over a less-than-20-year span, our net import dependency, which stood at 7% back then, has increased by a whopping 23%.

Throw in the geopolitical challenges associated with the geography of global copper mining which we will look at later in the week, and copper has all the makings of a highly critical mineral resource, the domestic development of which should be a priority for policy makers.

Be sure to check out our new microsite at www.coppermatters.org, and watch for copper-related updates on Twitter and Facebook throughout October.

Cindy Hurst, an analyst for the U.S. Army’s Foreign Military Studies Office, prepared this report in conjunction with the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security. The report discusses the importance of rare earth elements for U.S. defense and energy policy, as well as China’s influence on the rare earths industry. You can download the [...]

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 introduced itself to Capitol Hill staff this week, briefing Senate staff on Tuesday followed by a House briefing Wednesday.  I was joined by Laura Skaer of the Northwest Mining Association (NWMA), Betty Gibbs of the Mining & Metallurgical Society of America (MMSA), and Izzy LaBranch of NWMA’s “The More  You Dig” initiative. During [...]

In an interview with The Critical Metals Report, analyst Rick Mills shares his thoughts on how cobalt is the “king of critical metals.” Increasingly indispensable as an industrial metal, in the development of green technologies, and in various critical defense applications, cobalt is one of only four metals or element groups to make all three recently [...]

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 [...]

Earlier this week, ResourcefulEarth.org picked up on our initial calling out of a week-long campaign the environmental Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Earthworks ran against the mining industry. Read our original post from August 12 here. The site’s follow-up post included a couple of take action items for its community, and we’d like to encourage our supporters [...]

We have been fortunate to be able to announce several additions to the American Resources panel of experts recently, and this week is no exception: Dr. Robert Latiff, a retired U.S Air Force Major General, is Research Professor and Director of the Intelligence and Security Research Center at George Mason University.  In May, Dr. Latiff [...]

We’re excited to announce two new additions to our distinguished panel of experts: Emily Coppel is a policy analyst from the American Security Project. She is also the author of “Rare Earth Metals and U.S. National Security,” a report outlining the national security risks of U.S. over-reliance on China as supplier of REEs. Professor Patrick [...]