The United States has ample critical mineral deposits, and its mining industry is spearheading innovative technologies designed to decouple the nation from dependence on China for the processed metals and materials domestic manufacturers need.
But, without an education system that emphasizes hard sciences, especially geology, that won’t happen, experts told the House Natural Resources Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee during a Dec. 3 hearing.
“Congress can enact every permitting reform, every critical minerals bill on the docket, but without the workforce to execute them, we won’t be restoring our leadership in mining,” Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah) said. “If America wants to win … that starts with a mining workforce strong enough to secure our supply chains.”…