May 15, 2019—U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday moved closer to developing a national electric vehicle supply chain policy, reported Reuters. The Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the American Mineral Security Act, which would help streamline regulation and permitting requirements for the development of mines for lithium, graphite and other EV minerals.
The pending legislation would require a tally of metal reserves in the United States and seek to streamline permitting for the EV sector. Trump Administration officials from the Interior and Energy departments voiced support for the pending legislation.
Albemarle Corp operates the only U.S. lithium mine, a facility with the capacity to produce about 6,000 tonnes annually. According to current USGS data, that means that one mine could deplete U.S. reserves within six years. eCobalt Solutions Inc aims to produce 1,500 tonnes per year of cobalt once its Idaho project opens, though that is enough of the metal to make only about 300,000 EVs.
