Category: China

THE STATE OF CRITICAL MINERALS REPORT 2023 9/26/2023

THE STATE OF CRITICAL MINERALS REPORT 2023

The Payne Institute for Public Policy and the Colorado School of Mines has released our inaugural annual State of Critical Minerals Report. The report is aimed at contributing to the important discourse on critical minerals and how to harness them in a more sustainable manner as a catalyst to the energy transition and by extension, climate action. It explores various parts of the critical minerals value chain and the interplay of these segments in driving a successful minerals industry.  The report covers geopolitics and what that means for national security, the demand and supply dynamics of critical minerals markets, financial markets and investments, the future of sustainable mining and the environment, and social governance (ESG) factors confronting the industry.  September 26, 2023.  

Prospects for American cobalt Reactions to mine proposals in Minnesota and Idaho 9/25/

Prospects for American cobalt Reactions to mine proposals in Minnesota and Idaho

Payne Institute Research Associate Aaron Malone, Faculty Fellows Nicole Smith and Elizabeth Holley, and Student Researcher Tinzar Htun write about how cobalt is a critical mineral for electric vehicles and the transition to renewable energy.  Two leading prospective regions for U.S. cobalt production, in Minnesota and Idaho. Our central aim is to understand why reactions to mining proposals have been divergent, with polarized, intractable debates that have stalled projects in Minnesota while proposed mines in Idaho have advanced with minimal controversy. We summarize the geology and mining methods of each project before analyzing similarities and differences in responses, organizing our analysis around facets of environment, identity and legitimacy, politics, and economy.  September 25, 2023.

Escaping the Dirty Side of Clean Energy? 9/6/2023

Escaping the Dirty Side of Clean Energy?

Payne Institute Advisory Board member Deborah Avant, Devin Finn, Tricia D. Olsen, and Alvin Camba write about how In an era where the fate of nations intertwines with the health of our planet, Western governments and enterprises stand at a crossroads that demands more than just the pursuit of critical minerals. Beyond the race to secure these essential resources lies a profound truth: The battle against climate change not only hinges on obtaining valuable minerals, but also on upholding the enduring sustainability embedded within democratic principles.  September 6, 2023.  

Is U.S. Dependence on China for the Battery Supply Chain a National Security Risk? 9/1/2023

Is U.S. Dependence on China for the Battery Supply Chain a National Security Risk?

Payne Institute Fellow Josh Busby writes about how the minerals necessary for the clean energy transition such as lithium, cobalt, copper, and graphite are sourced from various countries, China dominates their processing and other steps along the battery supply chain.  This paper explores the narrow U.S. national security argument based on the dual use of batteries in military technologies and how to reconcile the trade-off with increased on-shoring and ally-shoring of production with the potential for slowing down the clean energy transition due to higher costs and lower efficiencies.  September 1, 2023.

Accelerating Coal Plant Retirement at Scale 8/1/2023

Accelerating Coal Plant Retirement at Scale

Deb Chattopadhyay, Payne Institute Program Manager Brad Handler, and Chandrasekar Govindarajalu write about how coal plants in some countries are actively being retired ahead of their planned closure dates, there is yet to be sufficient clarity on which business model(s) might help to achieve this at scale.  Policy-based and market-led closures, buyout of coal plants, auctioning them off, repurposing them, and swapping coal assets with renewables have all been tried in different parts of the world. They make an assessment of various proposed financial and business models to retire coal fired power plants early and which model or combination of models might work best for “at-scale” closure. August 1, 2023.  

The Energy Transition Will Require Cobalt. America’s Only Mine Can’t Get Off the Ground. 7/22/2023

The Energy Transition Will Require Cobalt. America’s Only Mine Can’t Get Off the Ground.

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Rod Eggert contributed to this article about how the U.S. is playing catch-up in battery supply chains dominated by China.  Economists and executives warn similar challenges lie ahead in the race to build renewable-energy infrastructure. Many of the richest deposits of commodities required lie elsewhere, while firms extracting them in the U.S. or its allies face higher environmental standards, greater labor costs and limited interest from Wall Street. July 22, 2023.

The Defense Production Act’s Role in the Clean Energy Transition 7/17/2023

The Defense Production Act’s Role in the Clean Energy Transition

Payne Institute Fellow Joshua Busby, Emily Holland, Director Morgan Bazilian, and Paul Orszag write about how the Defense Production Act (DPA) has been invoked by President Biden to address U.S. dependence on imports of critical minerals and the battery supply chain.  The Biden administration has been pushing for greater domestic production and sourcing of minerals to assist with the clean energy transition, a process that the administration classifies as an existential security priority.  July 17, 2023.  

China Controls Minerals That Run the World—and It Just Fired a Warning Shot at U.S. 7/7/2023

China Controls Minerals That Run the World—and It Just Fired a Warning Shot at U.S.

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributed to this article about how Beijing’s export restrictions on two minerals this week show it is willing to use its dominance to rock Western supply chains.  China’s decision this week to restrict the export of two minerals used in semiconductors, solar panels and missile systems was more than a trade salvo.  It was a reminder of its dominant hold over the world’s mineral resources.  July 7, 2023.

China Fires a Fresh Salvo in the Chip War 7/6/2023

China Fires a Fresh Salvo in the Chip War

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this article about how Beijing’s export restrictions on two metals may not be a death blow, but they are likely to serve as a warning shot.  U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen began a key diplomatic trip to Beijing on Thursday, just days after China unveiled new metal export restrictions and warned of stronger countermeasures—escalatory moves designed to showcase its geopolitical leverage and willingness to hit back at Western measures.  July 6, 2023.

NDAA takes aim at critical mineral supply chain 6/30/2023

NDAA takes aim at critical mineral supply chain

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this article about how the Pentagon needs to address reliance on Chinese-dominated weapons materials, lawmakers say.  Lawmakers are mulling a slew of new authorities and reporting requirements designed to shore up the U.S. supply chain of critical minerals as tensions with China deepen.   June 30, 2023.