Minerals are the foundation of our technology, defense, energy and manufacturing supply chains, but the industry’s importance is often overlooked by consumers who take for granted that certain materials will always be available in abundant supply. The raw materials from U.S. mines are critical to advanced technologies and countless other essential industries. As demand increases for the minerals that help power our increasingly tech-heavy world, access to those natural resources must grow along with it.
The National Mining Association and its Minerals Make Life initiative partnered with RealClearPolitics to gather experts from across government, industry experts and analysts to discuss the public policy questions surrounding the importance of minerals, and how the nation’s manufacturing sector, national defense and even green energy technologies depend on a healthy domestic minerals mining industry and improved access to domestic minerals.
The program featured a discussion with U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), followed by two panels.
The first panel included on experts from across government:
- Steven Fortier, PhD, Senior Policy Advisor, Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Casey Hammond, Acting Assistant Secretary, Land & Minerals Management, U.S. Department of the Interior
- Drew Horn, Associate Director of Policy, Office of the Vice President of the United States
- Melissa Simpson, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State
The second panel was comprised of industry experts:
- Robbie Diamond, Founder, President and CEO, Securing America’s Future Energy
- Emily Hersh, Managing Partner, DCDB Group
- David Livingston, Deputy Director, Climate and Advanced Energy, Atlantic Council
- Dan McGroarty, Principal, Carmot Strategic Group
The recording from this event is available here.