China’s temporary ban of rare-earth-mineral exports to the United States several weeks ago highlighted our vulnerability in that area. The U.S. imports all its rare earth minerals, which aren’t rare at all, but are vital to products ranging from solar energy to computers. Incoming House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., hopes to change the dangerous scenario,
The Hill reports.
“If we have the opportunity to utilize the resources we have on federal lands, we would go a long way to mitigating the fact that we don’t have access to rare earths,” Hastings tells the news service. A new U.S. Geological Survey report says there are substantial domestic reserves spread across several states – about 13 percent of the world’s total. “This report proves that America has the resources to implement an all-of-the-above energy strategy,” Hastings says.