Pentagon asks Congress to fund mining projects in Australia, U.K & More News Here

By Ernest Scheyder

(Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Defense has requested Congress to let it fund amenities in the United Kingdom and Australia that course of strategic minerals used to make electrical automobiles and weapons, calling the proposal essential to nationwide protection.

The request to alter the Cold War-era Defense Production Act (DPA) got here as a part of the Pentagon’s suggestions to Congress for the way to write the upcoming U.S. army funding invoice, often known as the National Defense Authorization Act.

Congress could reject or settle for the proposed modifications when it finalizes the invoice later this 12 months.

Washington is attempting tougher to cut back America’s dependence on China for lithium, uncommon earths and different minerals used to make a spread of applied sciences. Existing regulation bars DPA funds from getting used to dig new mines, however they can be utilized for processing tools, feasibility research and upgrades to current amenities. Currently, solely amenities in the United States and Canada are eligible for DPA funding.

Adding Australia and the United Kingdom, the Pentagon mentioned in the request to Congress, would “allow the U.S. government to leverage the resources of its closest allies to enrich U.S. manufacturing and industrial base capabilities and increase the nation’s advantage in an environment of great competition.”

Relying solely on home or Canadian sources, the Pentagon mentioned, “unnecessarily constrains” the DPA program’s means to “ensure a robust industrial base.”

A Pentagon official was not instantly out there for added remark.

The National Mining Association, a commerce group for the U.S. mining business, declined to remark.

RARE EARTHS

The United Kingdom refines nickel and has a number of proposed processing amenities for lithium and uncommon earths. Australia has mining and processing amenities for a spread of minerals, together with iron ore, lithium, copper and uncommon earths, a bunch of 17 metals used to make magnets that flip electrical energy into movement.

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The Pentagon final 12 months awarded a DPA grant value $30.4 million to Australia-based Lynas Rare Earths Ltd to construct a processing facility in Texas with privately held Blue Line Corp.

Last month, Lynas Chief Executive Amanda Lacaze complained that these funds have but to be dispersed, citing ongoing negotiations over safety of her firm’s mental property.

The Pentagon has additionally granted a minimum of $45 million to MP Materials Corp, which controls the one U.S. uncommon earths mine however depends upon China for processing.

The funds are to assist MP’s efforts to resume U.S. processing of these strategic minerals. Las Vegas-based MP mentioned final week that it has began receiving these funds and that the Pentagon could have “certain rights to technical data” due to the monetary help.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; further reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by David Gregorio)

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