Last week, the US House of Representatives passed the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024 – with votes of 245 to 155. 

This bill modifies the Energy Act of 2020 to expand the definition of critical minerals to include critical materials designated by the Department of Energy (DOE). 

Under current law, the US Geological Survey (USGS) list, which contains certain minerals that are essential to the nation's economic or national security, is not required to include the materials on the DOE's list.  

By expanding the definition of critical minerals, the bill requires the USGS to include on its list the materials on DOE's list. Within 45 days of DOE adding a mineral, element, substance, or material to its critical materials list, the USGS must update its list to include such mineral, element, substance, or material.    

Project Blue notes that the USGS and DOE lists were formed using different methodologies, with the former focussed on historical analysis and the latter also incorporating forward-looking data.  

In practise, the first materials to be added to the new, harmonised list will be copper, electrical steel, silicon and silicon carbide.  Some reconciliation will also be needed owing to the fact that “fluorspar” was listed by the USGS while the DOE listed “fluorine”.   

As put by Rep. Rob Wittman, the bill “… is [a] simple but a significant step forward to streamline interagency coordination, improve efficiency, and ensure the federal efforts to stockpile, recycle, and develop alternative supplies from these minerals are focused on the same priorities.”  One wonders if other steps forward are to follow now that the Republican Party have reached the 218-seat threshold to win control of the US House of Representatives, creating a trifecta that should make it easier for President-elect Donald Trump to enact his new agenda come January.