DOE Announces Plans for Securing Rare Minerals

December 17, 2010 -- The U.S. Department of Energy recently released a new strategy for ensuring access to rare earth minerals that have limited global availability, identifying five as the most critical for clean energy technologies. DOE’s strategy calls for boosting domestic supplies, diversifying international sources, and establishing a research and development program to conserve and develop existing supplies.

The United States currently must rely on China and other countries to supply rare minerals, which are vital for a variety of products from mobile phones to toothpaste to military applications. Two 2007 reports from the National Research Council recommend methods for improving data on the availability of these minerals, forecasting economic and military needs, and developing strategies for ensuring continuous supplies. In addition, rare earth minerals were the subject of a 2009 meeting of the Academies' Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable.

Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy
Managing Materials for a 21st Century Military
Meeting Summary