Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013”.
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013
AN ACT
To require the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to more efficiently develop domestic sources of the minerals and mineral materials of strategic and critical importance to United States economic and national security and manufacturing competitiveness.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds the following:
The industrialization of China and India has driven demand for nonfuel mineral commodities, sparking a period of resource nationalism exemplified by China’s reduction in exports of rare-earth elements necessary for telecommunications, military technologies, healthcare technologies, and conventional and renewable energy technologies.
The availability of minerals and mineral materials are essential for economic growth, national security, technological innovation, and the manufacturing and agricultural supply chain.
The exploration, production, processing, use, and recycling of minerals contribute significantly to the economic well-being, security and general welfare of the Nation.
The United States has vast mineral resources, but is becoming increasingly dependent upon foreign sources of these mineral materials, as demonstrated by the following:
Twenty-five years ago the United States was dependent on foreign sources for 30 nonfuel mineral materials, 6 of which the United States imported 100 percent of the Nation’s requirements, and for another 16 commodities the United States imported more than 60 percent of the Nation’s needs.
By 2011 the United States import dependence for nonfuel mineral materials had more than doubled from 30 to 67 commodities, 19 of which the United States imported 100 percent of the Nation’s requirements, and for another 24 commodities, imported more than 50 percent of the Nation’s needs.
The United States share of worldwide mineral exploration dollars was 8 percent in 2011, down from 19 percent in the early 1990s.
In the 2012 Ranking of Countries for Mining Investment, out of 25 major mining countries, the United States ranked last with Papua New Guinea in permitting delays, and towards the bottom regarding government take and social issues affecting mining.
Sec. 3 Definitions
In this Act:
Strategic and critical minerals— The term strategic and critical minerals means minerals that are necessary—
for national defense and national security requirements;
for the Nation’s energy infrastructure, including pipelines, refining capacity, electrical power generation and transmission, and renewable energy production;
to support domestic manufacturing, agriculture, housing, telecommunications, healthcare, and transportation infrastructure; or
for the Nation’s economic security and balance of trade.
Agency— The term agency means any agency, department, or other unit of Federal, State, local, or tribal government, or Alaska Native Corporation.
mineral exploration or mine permit— The term mineral exploration or mine permit includes plans of operation issued by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service pursuant to 43 CFR 3809 and 36 CFR 228A or the authorities listed in 43 CFR 3503.13, respectively.