Calvert bill seeks report on Russian, Chinese efforts to hoard global supply of critical minerals

To hold China and Russia accountable for attempting to monopolize critical mineral resources around the world, U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) on Tuesday introduced legislation that would require the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to produce a report on the countries’ investments in mining and related industries.

“Reliable access to critical minerals is essential to America’s economic and national security,” Rep. Calvert said. “America must be clear-eyed about the Chinese and Russian aggression when it comes to consolidating critical mineral resources.”

Rep. Calvert sponsored the Monitoring and Investigating Nations Exploiting States (MINES) Act, H.R. 8911, with original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR).

If enacted, H.R. 8911 would require annual reports for the next five years on the role of Russia, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and state-sponsored companies in planning, financing, and operating critical mineral mines in countries upon which the United States is dependent for mineral imports, and to evaluate any related national security risks, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.

“The MINES Act will give the United States additional tools to assess the growing exploitation of critical minerals in small states by China and Russia,” said Rep. Calvert.

Additionally, H.R. 8911 would require the U.S. Department of the Interior to also monitor and report on the involvement of the CCP or CCP-sponsored companies in developing critical mineral resources in Afghanistan; and would provide the U.S. Geological Survey with the authority to update the list of critical minerals more frequently than every three years in response to changing geopolitical conditions.

H.R. 8911 is supported by the American Exploration & Mining Association and the Uranium Producers of America.