Critical Minerals Policy Act calls for State Geological Survey resource assessments

The bipartisan Critical Minerals Policy Act (S-1113) was introduced in the Senate last week. The legislation proposes mineral-specific actions for Cobalt, Helium, Lead, Lithium, Low-Btu gas, Phosphate, Potash, Rare earth elements, and Thorium. [right, the dynamics of two decades of computer chip technology development and its mineral and element impacts. In the 1980s, computer chips were made with a palette of twelve minerals or their elemental components. A decade later, 16 elements were employed. Today, as many as 60 different minerals (or their constituent elements) may be used in fabricating the high-speed, high-capacity integrated circuits that are crucial to this technology. Credit, "Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy," National Academies Press, 2008, used with permission from Intel Corporation.]

Among the provisions is the requirement that:

Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act, in consultation with applicable State (including geological surveys), local, academic, industry, and other entities, the Secretary [of Interior] shall complete a comprehensive national assessment of each critical mineral that—

(1) identifies and quantifies known critical mineral resources, using all available public and private information and datasets, including exploration histories;
(2) estimates the cost of production of the critical mineral resources identified and quantified under this section, using all available public and private information and datasets, including exploration histories;
(3) provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of undiscovered critical mineral resources throughout the United States, including probability estimates of tonnage and grade, using all available public and private information and datasets, including exploration histories; and
(4) pays particular attention to the identification and quantification of critical mineral resources on Federal land that is open to location and entry for exploration, development, and other uses.


http://www.republicofmining.com/2011/05/26/critical-minerals-policy-act-of-2011-background-and-section-by-section/

http://www.mineweb.co.za/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page72068?oid=128038&sn=Detail&pid=102055