US DoD grants $110m to Albemarle and Talon for critical mineral production.

(2023, September 13) US DoD grants $110m to Albemarle and Talon for critical mineral production.

 Retrieved January 28, 2024, 

from US DoD grants $110m for critical mineral production (mining-technology.com)

 

The United States DoD is providing over $110 million to Albemarle and Talon to mine critical minerals like lithium and nickel in the United states. Albemarle will buy mining equipment with its grants to restart a lithium mine in King mountain, expected to restart in 2026. DoD funding to Talin will expand their mining equipment and staff, alongside aiding in the discovery of nickel deposits. All of this funding will go to defense platforms and green energy systems.

 

Government funding for mining companies is a necessary step in the pursuit of green energy. Mining companies have a hard time stepping up mines in the US with regulations and public opposition. The mining industry will need to be subsidized as an incentive to start domestic mining operations. As the world becomes more and more reliant on electronics and green energy systems, the demand for minerals will grow and grow. Domestic production will need to start to keep pace with future growth in demand. The DoD’s funding should be a first step towards more government funding in the domestic mining industry. 

Gem Hunters Found the Lithium America Needs. Maine Won’t Let Them Dig It Up

Semuels, H/ Cough, K. (2023, July 17) Gem Hunters Found the Lithium America Needs. Maine Won’t Let Them Dig It Up. Retrieved January 26, 2024,

from Maine Has the Lithium America Needs, But Won’t Allow Mining | TIME

 

Maine holds the world richest lithium deposit. By 2040, the world will need at least 1.1 million metric tons of lithium annually, so these deposits are needed. It can jumpstart the current administration’s focus on local mining. As the world moves towards alternative energy, resources like lithium are badly needed. However, Maine has some of the strictest mining and water quality standards in the nation. Many residents are against mining due to negative environmental effects felt during the 1960s. This reflects much skepticism that communities have over mining projects. Strict environmental regulations and pushback from communities keeps mining operations down in the US.

 

This issue represents an issue with us moving towards alternative energy. It is a vital step to secure benefits long term for the entire world. However, this comes at the cost of negative environmental impacts on local ecosystems and communities. We will need to risk the environments of some areas to save them all. However, it is difficult to argue this point to the population at large, as impacts to the local environment will be what is felt by the people in the beginning. Large deposits of vital minerals, such as in maine, will need to be used in the future to keep up with our shift towards alternative energy sources. As a compromise. We might need to start with deposits far away from people as we slowly draw others away from areas rich in minerals.

US Committee Recommends Royalties on Minerals for EVs In Sweeping Reform Proposal

Groom, N. (2023, September 12) US committee recommends royalties on minerals for EVs in sweeping reform proposal. Retrieved January 28, 2024, 

from US committee recommends royalties on minerals for EVs in sweeping reform proposal – MINING.COM

 

A federal committee recommends for the first time ever to put royalties on hardrock mining within the United States. This is part of recommendations that are intended to expand domestic supply of critical minerals and metals. The committee also recommended federal land to be leased for mining. This is an attempt to speed up mining permitting. However, environmentalists call for a report to look at the safety risks and pollution caused by hardrock mining.

 

This is another important step towards green energy. The US needs a large amount of minerals and metals to support its transition towards clean energy, requiring a large amount of domestic mining operations. However, the main difficulty facing domestic mining is current US regulation facing mining. It takes a long time to get permits to mine and there’s a lot of opposition to any mining project. By changing permitting, it will be easier for mining companies to start extracting mineral deposits across the country and put it into clean energy systems. THe downside is that there will be environmental degradation across the country due to mining. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil to transition to cleaner energy and save the larger environment. One thing we can do is to account for the local communities, making sure that we can help people that are impacted by these environmental factors.

U.S. Aims to End Reliance on China for Minerals, But Environmentalists Block Mining on American Soil

Jaramillo, E. (2023, October 2) U.S. aims to end reliance on China for minerals, but environmentalists block mining on American soil. Retrieved January 26, 2024, 

from U.S. aims to end reliance on China for minerals, but environmentalists block mining on American soil – The China Project

 

The world is transitioning from traditional energy towards more renewable energy sources. At the current moment, China has a hold on critical mineral supply chains. The senate held a hearing to find ways to counter this control. The UShas a large demand for minerals and metals that are growing as time moves on. With growing US-China tensions, the US will need to stop reliance on China to get rid of any leverage the People’s Republic of China holds over the US. However, local mining takes years due to strict regulations and environmentalists say that local mining will destroy the environment so they also try to block and stop mining operations. These minerals are critical in a green transition but means we will have to sacrifice the environment for these resources. 

 

Government regulatory systems to protect the environment from mining or logging are great for protecting ecosystems and the environment. However, these systems are also hindering our larger steps from reliance on fossil fuel towards clean, green energy. Right now, the minerals needed in our electronics come largely from Chinese-controlled sources. In our current state, China has a leverage over the US and can hinder new green technologies that are being developed. To protect against this, we will need our own mineral sources that we can rely on more heavily. We will need to sacrifice local environments to mine these resources. Unfortunately, this means that we will need to loosen regulations and restrictions on mining. It risks our own environments, but it is a price we need to pay to save the larger planet. 

US Inflation Reduction Act Impact Report Lays Bare Critical Mineral Supply Fault Lines

Lazenby, H. (2023, September 1) US Inflation Reduction Act Impact Report Lays Bare Critical Mineral Supply Fault Lines. Retrieved January 26, 2024, 

from US Inflation Reduction Act impact report lays bare critical mineral supply fault lines – MINING.COM

 

The US Inflation Reduction act spends over 500 billion on new energy investments and raises the amount of electric vehicle sales. All of this increases the demand for minerals and metals that contribute to renewable energy sources. However the United States, and other developed countries to an extent, have long and complicated permitting processes. The federal land is becoming increasingly expensive and permitting is full of unpredictability and delays. Permitting remains the biggest hurdle and threatens the effectiveness of the Inflation Reduction Act. 

 

I find it surprising that it is universally agreed that the permitting issue is seen as the biggest hurdle in a transition to more clean energy, but it remains unchanged. To get the US to transition to cleaner energy, there needs to be a change in the permitting process for land. We would need to make the process more efficient so that it becomes faster to get a permit. The issue that would be the effect on the environmental and local communities from mining. To gain an easier transition to green energy, we must, unfortunately, sacrifice a part of these concerns. However, we will still have EPA laws to make sure that the environment is protected as much as possible. We can have investments into local communities to mitigate negative impacts. But to effectively change our energy to more clean sources, we will need to allow environmental degradation to happen in the region.

Coal use at U.S. power plants continues downward spiral; full impact on mines to be felt in 2024.

Seth Feaster (2023, November 2) Coal use at U.S. power plants continues downward spiral; full impact on mines to be felt in 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024, from https://ieefa.org/resources/coal-use-us-power-plants-continues-downward-spiral-full-impact-mines-be-felt-2024

 

The use of coal by big companies in the US has declined greatly this year. The amount of coal has steeply declined due to the increase in renewable energies, as well as more regulations regarding the mining and usage of coal. In July coal was just over 19% of the country’s power and that is a  big step down from 2021 when it was around 25%. This is a great step as countries are beginning to switch to renewable sources.

 

This is related to APES because many people in the U.S use coal for heating in the winter as well as cooling in the summertime. If we can replace the burning of coal for these main uses and can switch to renewable energy sources like wind turbines and solar, then the amount of CO2 going into our atmosphere will significantly decrease. This is one of the many things we can do to help slow the rapid increase in global warming.

 

Power Plants and Neighboring Communities.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2023, December 15) Power Plants and Neighboring Communities. Retrieved January 28, 2024, from https://www.epa.gov/power-sector/power-plants-and-neighboring-communities

 

Communities often face bigger exposure to environmental pollutants and suffer from a range of health issues as a result. These include an increased risk of developing heart or lung diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis, as well as encountering respiratory and cardiac symptoms. These populations might also deal with higher rates of emergency room visits, hospital admissions. It is critical to address these environmental injustices.

 

This is related to APES because many times in our environment, there is exposure to many different chemicals that are hoped to be avoided. Some experiments may also go wrong when trying to better our environment. It is important to consider the immediate and lasting effects on the surrounding communities when evaluating a community’s future potential vulnerability for environmental justice concerns. The closure of large fossil fuel-fired plants can have significant impacts on the local economy, employment, and the environment. Accordingly, it is crucial to assess and address these potential concerns to ensure a just transition to cleaner energy sources and mitigate any adverse effects on the affected communities.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $150 Million to Strengthen Domestic Critical Material Supply Chains

Department of Energy (2023, September 6) Biden-Harris Administration Announces $150 Million to Strengthen Domestic Critical Material Supply Chains. Retrieved January 27, 2024, from https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-150-million-strengthen-domestic-critical-material

 

This article talks about the U.S. Department of Energy and how they announced their funding of upwards of $150 million to help the producing and refining of critical minerals and materials within the United States. This funding is with Biden’s ideas of investing in America, helping to create a greener society. The aim is to meet the increasing demand for critical minerals and materials while reducing dependence on offshore supplies, which are more hurtful to the environment. These minerals and materials are extremely important for manufacturing clean energy which includes wind turbines, solar, and even electric cars.

 

This is important for Environmental Science because by investing in this opportunity, the US seeks to create jobs and support communities across the country that have historically relied on mining and energy production. This will ultimately help contribute to less CO2 emissions. This plan reflects the administration’s commitment to ensuring that every community benefits from the clean energy transition.

Sustainable and Reliable: Securing Resources for the Clean Energy Future.

Nicole Gentile (2023, September 28) Sustainable and Reliable: Securing Resources for the Clean Energy Future. Retrieved January 27, 2024, from https://www.americanprogress.org/article/sustainable-and-reliable-securing-resources-for-the-clean-energy-future/

 

Others’ concerns and shock regarding the suggests mine had significant consequences. The government’s conclusion to disregard these concerns and proceed with the first plan resulted in Rio Tinto no longer having what is usually referred to as the “social license to operate.”. Regardless of the potential effectiveness of environmental mitigation measures or the potential benefits to local communities, the company lost the physical permit for the mine. Even though the prime minister acknowledges the importance of lithium for Serbia’s economic growth, she does not see a viable path to revive this specific project.

 

This is related to APES because there are always new ideas, and these new ideas are helping our climate get cleaner. Batteries play a critical role in powering the transition to cleaner energy and transportation. The production of these batteries relies on a secure supply of critical minerals. Although, it is true that the United States currently does not produce significant quantities of the five minerals critical to lithium-ion batteries: lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and manganese.

Mining is necessary for the green transition.

Bella Isaacs-Thomas (2023, December 1) Mining is necessary for the green transition. Here’s why experts say we need to do it better. Retrieved January 24, 2024, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/mining-is-necessary-for-the-green-transition-heres-why-experts-say-we-need-to-do-it-better

 

This article talks about how more sustainable approaches are necessary to lessen the potential negative impacts of the mining industry on the environment, people, and communities. These approaches minimize the ecological footprint of mining activities and promote social and economic benefits for local communities. By using such sustainable practices, we can help create a greener and more sustainable future. 

 

This is related to APES because it talks about the resources that are taken from the earth, and how they play an important role in today’s technology. They are essential parts of various devices and technologies like electrical wiring to phones. Many of these metals such as copper, lithium, and nickel are some of the resources that are mined and used to power cleaner technologies. These minerals are used in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and other sustainable technologies that contribute to reducing our use of fossil fuels and ultimately helping our environment in the slowing of climate change.