The U.S. Geological Survey has reaffirmed its 2022 decision to exclude copper from the nation’s Critical Minerals List (CML) after a bi-partisan group of U.S. senators urged the agency in February to reconsider its determination prior to the next triennial review of critical minerals.
“While copper is clearly an essential mineral commodity, its supply chain vulnerabilities are mitigated by domestic capacity, trade with reliable partners, and significant secondary capacity,” USGS Director David Applegate stated in an April 13 letter to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-AZ. “As a result, the USGS does not believe that the available information on copper supply and demand justifies an out-of-cycle addition to the list at this time.”
Sinema, along with Mark Kelly, D-AZ, Joe Manchin, D-WV, Mike Braun, R-IN, Raphael Warnock, D-GA and Mitt Romney, R-UT used data provided by an industry trade association as justification for their Feb. 2 letter to Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland requesting that she require the USGS to conduct the review with the goal of adding copper to the CML.
“Due to copper’s major role in economic development, national security, and infrastructure, we strongly reiterate our recommendation that you direct the USGS to reopen its’ review of copper for inclusion in the USGS list of ‘critical minerals’ and reconsider the listing using the latest quantitative data and qualitative information,” the senators’ letter states.
