U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) recently introduced the Monitoring and Investigating Nations Exploiting States (MINES) Act, H.R. 8911 in an effort to hold China and Russia accountable for their efforts to monopolize critical resources around the world, particularly in developing nations, according to a news release.
“Reliable access to critical minerals is essential to America’s economic and national security,” Calvert said in a statement. “The MINES Act will give the United States additional tools to assess the growing exploitation of critical minerals in small states by China and Russia. America must be clear-eyed about the Chinese and Russian aggression when it comes to consolidating critical mineral resources.”
The legislation was praised by U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AK) ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee.
“It’s hard to overstate just how tight of a stranglehold Russia and China are developing on resources supply chains worldwide,” Westerman said in a statement. “While the Biden administration locks up sustainable mining here in the U.S., our adversaries are wasting no time stepping into that void and controlling critical minerals around the globe."
The minerals are now more of a national security issue, Westerman said.
"Congressman Calvert’s legislation would implement much-needed oversight on the actions of Russia, China, and other adversaries, directing USGS to provide regular reports to Congress so we can take appropriate action," he said. "We can’t afford to let this issue slide. It’s essential that we know exactly what’s going on overseas so we can eliminate long-term threats to America.”
The MINES Act is supported by the American Exploration & Mining Association and the Uranium Producers of America, according to Calvert's news release.
The legislation would require annual reports for the next five years keeping tabs on the Russian and Chinese governments and how they plan, finance and operate mineral mines in countries that the U.S. is dependent on for mineral imports and the security risks this would cause. It also requires the Department of the Interior to monitor and report on the involvement of the Chinese Communist Party or CCP-sponsored companies in developing critical mineral resources in Afghanistan, Calvert said.
It would also allow the U.S. Geological Survey to update the list of critical minerals more frequently than every three years, according to the congressman. This issue came to light during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as the USGS couldn’t update the critical minerals list to reflect the impact of that war.
The Energy Act of 2020 defines critical minerals as minerals that are essential to the economy or national security of the U.S., have a supply chain that is vulnerable to disruption and serve an essential function in the manufacturing of a product that is important to the U.S. economy or national security, Calvert said.
According to a 2022 report by the U.S. Geological Survey, the United States was 100% net import reliant for 14 of the 32 listed critical minerals or mineral groups and China was the leading producing nation for 16 of the 32 listed critical minerals, Calvert said in the news release.