US Interior Department proposes adding copper to critical minerals list

The Geological Survey, a branch of the U.S. Department of the Interior, released the draft list in the Federal Register and it will be open for public comment for 30 days.

Inclusion on the list, which is typically updated every three years, can make projects eligible for federal funding, subject to a streamlined permitting process, or more competitive due to fees placed on imports, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Copper is widely used in transportation, defense, and the U.S. power grid, which needs revamping amid the first rise in electricity demand in two decades on the rise in data centers and artificial intelligence. Potash is a potassium-rich salt mostly used to make fertilizer. Silver, lead, and silicon were also added to the draft list.

The draft list provides a roadmap to reduce U.S. dependence on imports and expand domestic production, said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.

Executive orders signed by President Donald Trump this year directed the Interior Department to see whether coal used to make steel, also known as met coal, and uranium, the fuel for nuclear power plants, should be put on the list. Those were not put on the draft list, but Interior said public comment was welcomed on inclusion of met coal and uranium on the final list.

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