Keynote highlights push for US mineral security and domestic production

Leaders from the U.S. government and the global mining industry opened the MINEXCHANGE 2026 SME Annual Conference & Expo with a keynote session centered on restoring U.S. critical mineral production and strengthening domestic supply chains. The session, titled “Regaining America’s Mineral Dominance,” featured remarks from Ned Mamula, director at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox and Vicky Peacey, president and general manager of Resolution Copper, along with opening comments from industry leaders and conference organizers. The speakers emphasized that renewed government attention to critical minerals, combined with industry investment and technological innovation, will be necessary to meet rising demand for materials such as copper, zinc and rare earth elements. The session opened with remarks from Pat Risner, president of South32 Hermosa, followed by a safety share from 2025 SME President Bill Hancock. Hancock then introduced moderator Debra Struhsacker, who emphasized the importance of strengthening domestic mineral production and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains. Struhsacker, who is SME’s government and public affairs consultant, noted that decades of policy decisions have weakened the U.S. mining sector, leaving the country increasingly dependent on imported minerals. She pointed to declining domestic capacity, a shrinking number of mining schools and the closure of the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1996 as factors that contributed to the current supply challenge.Minerals remain foundational to national security, Struhsacker said, noting their role in defense systems, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. Addressing the current supply imbalance will require new mining projects, faster permitting timelines and stronger partnerships between government and industry.Mamula outlined how the USGS is supporting national mineral security through expanded research, mapping and data programs. The agency, which is approaching its 150th anniversary, has increased its focus on geological mapping and mineral resource analysis through initiatives such as the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). Mamula said large portions of the United States remain undermapped for mineral potential, underscoring the need for improved geological data to reduce exploration risk for mining companies. “The most important thing we do is to help derisk for our mining brothers and sisters, so that people can go out with confidence having a first cut of the data,” Mamula said, explaining that USGS data help companies pursue exploration with greater confidence. Mamula also talked about new efforts to evaluate mine waste as a potential source of critical minerals. Through federal directives, the USGS is developing a national inventory to map and characterize waste sites with the potential to recover valuable materials. Many minerals now considered critical had limited commercial value decades ago, Mamula noted. “One man’s junk 20, 40 or 50 years later is another nation’s treasure,” he said. The agency is working with states and industry partners to inventory mine waste across multiple sites and assess opportunities to recover minerals through emerging technologies. Peacey focused her remarks on copper’s strategic importance and the growing gap between global supply and demand. Global copper demand currently stands at approximately 28 Mt/a (31 million stpy) and could increase significantly by 2040, driven by electrification, renewable-energy development and digital infrastructure. Despite strong domestic consumption, the United States imports roughly half of the copper it uses each year. In the mid-1980s, the United States had about 80 copper mines, including 60 primary producers and 20 refineries. Today, production is concentrated in a handful of aging operations in Arizona and Utah.Peacey noted that China now dominates global copper refining, operating dozens of smelters and influencing global treatment and refining charges. Projects such as Resolution Copper could help reverse that trend, she said. The Arizona project, a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP, has the potential to supply up to one-quarter of U.S. copper demand once fully developed. The project sits deep underground near the historic Magma Copper mine and could contain more than 2 Mt (2.2 million st) of copper. “The best new mine is one you can’t see,” Peacey said, noting that the project’s deep underground design minimizes surface impacts. Peacey also touched on technology innovations such as Rio Tinto’s Nuton copper leaching process, which allows companies to recover copper from low-grade ores and previously uneconomic deposits.In his address, Governor Cox outlined Utah’s strategy to expand mining and critical minerals development within the state. Utah hosts nearly 50 of the minerals identified on the U.S. critical minerals list and is home to major operations such as the Bingham Canyon Mine and the Rio Tinto Kennecott operations near Salt Lake City.The state is developing a critical minerals framework that includes the creation of a critical minerals council, faster state-level permitting pathways and designated critical mineral development zones offering tax incentives and preapproved infrastructure. Cox said the United States must rebuild its domestic mining capacity after decades of offshoring mineral production. “We have to build again. We have to lead again,” he said. Cox added that the mining sector will also need to rebuild its workforce, as a large share of industry professionals approach retirement. “There are some things artificial intelligence can’t do,” he told attendees. “And you’re lucky to be in that group.” Cox concluded by urging industry leaders to collaborate on restoring U.S. mineral production. “America can control its own destiny in terms of copper and critical mineral production,” he said. “Now we have to do it.” Lucy England, managing director at FLS, spoke next on behalf of the company, which received the Robert E. Murray Innovation Award. England noted the need for lithium for electronics and copper for electricity.She also mentioned the launch by FLS of its mission zero mine at MINEXCHANGE 2021, establishing the eccentric role crusher (ERC) and Reflux flotation cell (RFC). The keynote concluded with final remarks from Dave Kanagy, SME’s outgoing chief executive officer. Kanagy thanked speakers and noted his last MINEXCHANGE was closing where his first one commenced: in Salt Lake City. Kanagy then recognized five of the longest tenured SME staff members — Bill Gleason, Tara Davis, Raven Refuerzo, Mona Vandervoort and Kendra Elrod — with their own awards. Technical sessions The conference returned a robust technical program spanning from the morning of Feb. 23 to the afternoon of Feb. 25. Several technical sessions at MINEXCHANGE 2026 explored emerging technologies, workforce development and geopolitical factors shaping the future of the mining sector.Speakers emphasized that achieving energy transition goals and securing critical mineral supply chains will require coordinated action across technology development, workforce training and global partnerships. During a session on emerging decarbonization technologies, Matt McCulloch of Norda Stelo outlined several innovations designed to reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency at mine sites. McCulloch emphasized that effective decarbonization strategies depend heavily on the specific conditions of each mine. “Mine context matters,” he said, noting that local energy infrastructure, climate and operational factors will determine which technologies are viable. Among the technologies discussed was an anti-idling system for haul trucks developed by Rosco Mining Solutions. The system continuously monitors cabin temperature and battery voltage to automatically control engine operation, reducing idle time while maintaining vehicle readiness. The technology also helps extend haul truck life and reduce fuel consumption. McCulloch further highlighted vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems that allow electric vehicles at mine sites to store energy and return it to the grid through bidirectional charging. These systems could allow mines to generate additional revenue while supporting grid stability. McCulloch said these technologies demonstrate that decarbonization in mining extends beyond climate considerations. “It isn’t just about climate change or technology — it’s about efficiency,” he said. He added that decarbonization will require a system-level transformation, combining electrification, heat management and energy optimization. Over the next decade, he said, the pace at which companies adopt these technologies could influence their long-term competitiveness. Another session examined how the U.S. government is working to rebuild the workforce needed to support domestic mineral production. Caleb Woodall discussed initiatives underway at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support workforce development tied to the administration’s goal of restoring American mineral dominance. Woodall described how the department has reorganized mineral-related programs, including the creation of the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, which focuses on hard-rock mining. Other DOE programs, including those covering hydrocarbons and geothermal energy, are also expanding their engagement with the mining sector. To address workforce shortages, the DOE has established a 21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board tasked with identifying strategies to attract workers to energy and mineral industries. Key initiatives include promoting apprenticeship programs, expanding career awareness campaigns and strengthening partnerships between industry and training institutions. One effort developed through the DOE’s Critical Minerals Collaborative involves a career mapping project designed to identify workforce needs and outline training pathways for roles across mineral supply chains. The tool targets educators, job seekers and career advisors to help connect workers with mining-related opportunities. Woodall said recent outreach efforts show that broader awareness of mining careers remains limited. A recent DOE webinar on mineral workforce development attracted nearly 2,000 participants, but only a small fraction were directly involved in the mining industry. The department is continuing its national dialogue on workforce development while encouraging stronger collaboration between industry, educators and government agencies. A separate panel on critical minerals examined the geopolitical and economic forces shaping supply chains. Panelists included Tom Brady of Colorado School of Mines, Dawn Wellman of Rio Tinto and Andrew Gulley of USGS. The panelists discussed the role of government stockpiles in stabilizing supply during geopolitical disruptions. Brady noted that maintaining steady material flows into national stockpiles remains critical, although some minerals cannot be stored long term because they degrade over time. Gulley added that current stockpiling models were designed decades ago and may not reflect modern supply-chain realities. For example, certain materials such as cobalt compounds have limited shelf life, requiring stockpiles to store more stable forms of the metal.The panelists also highlighted the importance of domestic processing capacity. While the United States has increased efforts to extract rare earth elements, nearly all of the refining and separation capacity remains overseas. Without domestic processing infrastructure, extracting minerals alone will not resolve supply-chain vulnerabilities. The panel emphasized that economics plays a major role in determining which minerals can be produced domestically. Some critical minerals, such as gallium, are consumed in relatively small quantities, making it difficult to justify building standalone mining operations. In many cases, these materials must be recovered as byproducts of larger mining projects. The growing geopolitical competition surrounding mineral supply chains were also addressed. Countries are increasingly aligning with or attempting to reduce dependence on dominant suppliers such as China. Western governments have begun implementing their own critical mineral policies while limiting certain foreign investments in strategic resources. Despite these efforts, the panelists said rebuilding domestic supply chains will take decades. China has invested heavily in education and workforce development tied to rare earth processing and downstream manufacturing, creating a large technical workforce that the United States currently lacks. Wellman noted that the United States has around 15 mining schools with fewer than 1,000 students combined, compared with more than one million students in related fields in China. “We cannot correct 40 years overnight,” she said. Another presentation explored uranium deposits in New Mexico’s Grants mineral belt. Virginia McLemore reported that between 1948 and 2002 the region produced approximately 340 million lb of triuranium octoxide with an additional 360 million to 420 million lb estimated in historic resources.Much of the district was abandoned by major mining companies during the uranium downturn of the 1980s, leaving several advanced projects undeveloped. McLemore noted that relatively low property acquisition costs in the district could provide opportunities for renewed exploration and development. Uranium now meets several criteria commonly used to define critical minerals, including economic vulnerability, high risk of supply disruption and significant trade exposure, she said. The region also hosts other mineral systems, including arsenide vein deposits containing elements such as cesium, which is used in electronics and telecommunications technologies.

Keynote highlights push for US mineral security and domestic production

Authored by: Carrie Smith

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