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.
Isn’t adding CU to the CML a boon for Hudbay? Can I get clarification?
THE US GOVERNMENT HAS SIMPLY OPENED THE DOOR TO ALL FOREIGN ENTITIES INCLUDING HUDBAY TO PLUNDER THE USA COPPER RESOURCES AS THEY WISH . THERE ARE NO CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE TO CONTROL THIS . THE ARCHAIC MINING ACT CURRENTLY IN PLACE IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE . THE MINING INDUSTRY IN THE US AS WELL AS WORLDWIDE HAS A POWERFUL LOBBY WHEREVER THEY GO . THAT IS WHY HUDBAY WILL BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS ROSEMONT PROPERTIES .
CLARIFICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BUT NOT PUBLISHED
WHERE IS MY COMMENT ?
ADDING CU TO THE CML WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON HUDBAY’S PROPOSED ROSEMONT MINE PLANS . THE GOVERNMENT COULD IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON THE EXPORT OF COPPER CONCENTRATES AND REQUIRE THAT ALL CONCENTRATES BE PROCESSED IN THE USA .