Hal Quinn: Unlock Mineral Reserves Now

Last week, National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn was featured in the Washington Times discussing exciting opportunities for Nevada following its selection as the home of Tesla Motors’ Gigafactory.

Not only will this new  development create more than 6,500 jobs for Nevadans, it will also spark growth in industries that support and/or are supported by the mining sector in the state. But despite Nevada’s vast minerals reserve, there are concerns surrounding our current supply chain and access to these raw materials due to the federal permitting process. Quinn explains:

“Unfortunately, an inefficient federal permitting process for new mineral mines keeps ample resources locked underground and U.S. manufacturers scrambling to secure raw materials from foreign sources. Amid growing global demand, 78 percent of high-tech CEOs are concerned about minerals and metals scarcity.”

It is time for the Senate to act. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) introduced the “National Strategic and Critical Minerals Act of 2013”, which recently passed the House and creates a more efficient permitting system that would allow manufacturers to securely access domestic minerals in a timely manner. NMA urges the Senate to take up similar legislation to help strengthen industry supply chains and secure economic prosperity for not only selected states, but the entire nation.

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