BOISE, Idaho – Last week, U.S. Senator Jim Risch outlined the immediate steps Congress can take to strengthen America’s critical mineral supply and support President Trump’s pro-energy agenda in a new editorial published by Newsweek.
To read the full OpEd, click here.
U.S. Shouldn’t Depend on China for Rare Minerals
Excerpts from the editorial:
“The United States possesses vast reserves of critical minerals vital for our national security, industrial production, and everyday consumer goods. But stifling regulations and unnecessary red tape have made us reliant on foreign sources for minerals we can find at home—directly undermining our military readiness and economic security.
“President Donald Trump's executive order on American mineral production provides a much-needed opportunity to reverse this troubling trajectory, better leverage our domestic natural resources, and achieve self-sufficiency.
“[. . .]China's recent decision to cut antimony supplies underscores the danger of this situation. Antimony is an indispensable ingredient in ammunition, fireproofing military equipment, nuclear systems, and much more. The U.S. has no domestic antimony source currently in production, despite having high-grade reserves waiting to be tapped. We have placed our security completely at the mercy of the Chinese government's whims. But fortunately, we don't have to look far to course correct.
“Projects like the Stibnite Gold Project in my home state of Idaho can fulfill our domestic needs. With a 148-million-pound reserve of antimony, it stands as the largest source of the element outside of Beijing's control. However, the grueling road to production—currently slated to start in 2028, 18 long years after the project started—illustrates how U.S. policy has left our nation vulnerable.
“Antimony is not a singular example[. . .]We have neglected our own resources, allowing ourselves to depend on Communist China for strategic minerals readily available in our own backyard.”
“[. . .]We, in Congress, must stand ready to support the vision President Trump has put forward to have a lasting impact. Now is the time to forge a comprehensive strategy that invests in domestic mining projects, revitalizes processing capacity, and restores the American industrial base as the envy of the world. We must make it clear that the United States is leading rather than following in the global race for critical minerals.
