Hal Quinn to Detroit News: Access to minerals key to auto industry success

Hal Quinn, National Mining Association President and CEO, responded this week to a Detroit News editorial that demanded cheap energy to allow auto manufacturers to retain and create jobs in the state.  In his response, Quinn highlighted another key concern for manufacturers everywhere: reliable access to minerals.

“Whether aluminum and iron for auto body frames, platinum for catalytic converters or lithium for hybrid auto batteries, a growing palette of minerals is integral to Detroit’s most innovative vehicles,” he said.

In a 2011 PricewaterhouseCoopers study, 73 percent of automotive CEOs said that minerals and metals scarcity is a pressing issue for their companies.

Unfortunately, an outdated federal permitting process is standing in the way of accessing the impressive resources available in Michigan and the rest of the country. Permitting regularly drags on for seven to 10 years, deterring investment in U.S. mining projects and pushing investors overseas. Quinn calls on Michigan senators to help end these delays:

“The National Strategic and Critical Minerals Act of 2013 — legislation that would support increased mineral production by streamlining the lengthy mine permitting process — passed the U.S. House with bipartisan support last month.

A welcome step now is for Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and their colleagues in the Senate to prioritize the passage of similar legislation and advocate for much-needed domestic mining and manufacturing jobs.”