At this point, it is well known the United States increasingly relies upon critical minerals, as a significant amount is needed to build technologies necessary for the clean energy transition through transmission lines, solar panels and electric vehicle batteries. Yet despite the dire need, the Department of the Interior last month rejected the Ambler Access Project — an industrial road through Alaska needed to reach a large deposit of copper.
Unfortunately, Ambler Road is just the latest project to be halted or delayed by the Biden administration. While I fully support Biden’s ambitious net-zero goals for fighting climate change, where I disagree lies in the way he has approached implementing those goals. Instead of serving as a roadblock to domestic mining projects, he should prioritize the responsible production of copper, which is known as the “metal of electrification,” and other minerals critical to the energy transition right here in our backyard.
To add salt to the wound, Amos Hochstein, the White House senior adviser on energy and investment, advocated for sourcing critical minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to meet the demand for clean energy infrastructure during a panel at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles — within weeks of Ambler being delayed.
Hochstein’s comments are nothing short of a slap in the face to both Ambler and multiple proposed copper mines that have been delayed under this administration’s watch.
Globally, a sizeable increase in copper is needed to meet climate goals — with demand predicted to surge 600 percent by 2030 and at least twentyfold by 2040 — but limited availability could impact the timing of net-zero objectives. In fact, the lack of newly mined copper is already causing prices to hit their highest point since March of 2022.
To meet growing demand, protect against soaring energy prices, and secure supply chains in a globalized trade environment, the United States must not neglect development of its mineral resources. Keen observers of the energy industry note that the United States cannot simply rely on imports from foreign sources (historically Latin America and Africa), especially in light of legitimate concerns regarding the environmental and social conditions in those countries.
In addition to Ambler Road, there are numerous proposed projects in the United States ready to start filling the supply chain gap, but only if they can secure regulatory approval. For example, in Minnesota, the NewRange Copper Nickel and Twin Metals projects remain in limbo. If approved, each project is anticipated to deliver tens of thousands of tons of sustainably produced copper, nickel, cobalt and platinum group metals daily. However, they have been subjected to unending court proceedings and permitting roadblocks that extended beyond the already lengthy and unwieldy 16-year timeline mines typically take to gain approval. Meanwhile, Arizona’s Resolution Copper — with the potential to supply nearly 25 percent of annual U.S. copper demand — has experienced more than a decade of similar setbacks.
To secure approval, the developers of these projects have gone above and beyond regulatory requirements and made commitments to protect the environment and serve the communities where they plan to operate. These efforts represent the important considerations needed to ensure we are able to mine the minerals we need while respecting local ecosystems and see mining communities benefit through the presence of these projects.
For instance, NewRange has committed to cleaning up legacy water quality issues from former iron ore processing at its site dating back more than 70 years and to meet the state’s strict water quality standards for protecting wild rice. Resolution Copper’s extensive tribal consultations have resulted in agreements to limit the land area of their project, place some lands under permanent protection or conservation, and maintain public access in other areas for recreation. Also of note are Twin Metals’ ongoing philanthropic contributions and their investments in achieving their goal to become a carbon-neutral mine.
It is commitment to such proactive business practices that exemplify why mining is done best in the U.S. and why Better In Our Back Yard was created. As a coalition dedicated to responsible industrial growth that progresses local economies and creates good paying jobs, while protecting regional environments, we believe high-standard American ingenuity is needed now more than ever.
The United States has an opportunity to be copper independent via domestic production, and it is in the nation’s interest that the Biden administration advance projects that display the country’s unequivocal commitment to environmental and industrial leadership. There is no place better than in our backyard to show both can be responsibly achieved.
Ryan Sistad is executive director of Better in Our Back Yard, which supports responsible industrial development projects in the Upper Midwest.