Actions Needed To Promote a Stable Supply of Strategic and Critical Minerals and Materials
EMD-82-69
Published: Jun 03, 1982. Publicly Released: Jun 03, 1982.
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Highlights
The National Materials and Minerals Policy and Development Act of 1980 was enacted to provide a national policy for minerals and materials and to strengthen related research and production capabilities. The Executive Office of the President is implementing this policy primarily through the Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and the Environment. GAO reviewed the strides that have been made in developing legislative, budgetary, and programmatic proposals to promote an adequate and stable supply of minerals and materials needed to maintain national security, economic well-being, and industrial production as required by the Act.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and the Environment | The Chairman of the Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and the Environment should define the term "strategic" to relate to the probability of a supply disruption or sharp price increase in a given nonfuel mineral or material market and its expected duration and the term "critical" to relate to the adverse impact that would occur if supplies are disrupted or prices are sharply increased. |
Closed – Not Implemented
Interior states that the greater precision envisioned by GAO is speculative and may even prove counterproductive. GAO disagrees and intends to schedule a subsequent review addressing the recommendation.
|
| Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and the Environment | The Chairman of the Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and the Environment should develop an approach to measure the magnitude of the potential problem by quantifying the degree of U.S. vulnerability in a given market. |
Closed – Not Implemented
Interior states that "existing estimation techniques simply do not permit reduction of all of the elements in the vulnerability problem to simple and reliable measures" and that "such reduction efforts probably face insurmountable difficulties." GAO disagrees and intends to schedule a subsequent review addressing the recommendation.
|
| Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and the Environment | The Chairman of the Cabinet Council on Natural Resources and the Environment should assure that legislative, budgetary, and programmatic proposals articulate how each short-term action: (1) will promote long-term, national nonfuel minerals and materials goals; and (2) relates to the long-term goals of other Federal policies. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The action recommended is of a continuing, ongoing nature. The administration has stated that it agrees with this recommendation and has taken several steps to implement it.
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Topics
Materials researchMilitary inventoriesMineral resourcesNational defense operationsProperty and supply managementResearch and developmentStrategic materialsMineralsMiningStrategic minerals