National Mining Policy
from: Forest County Online

In 1986, the year that Exxon pulled out of Wisconsin, the U.S. imported 10 percent of five essential minerals. By the year 2000, that number had increased to thirteen. The trend is only expected to increase. While the U.S. coal resources provide the world's largest energy reserve within the borders of one nation, it requires 29 separate minerals to harness and deliver that as domestic power.

Minerals are important to our way of life and mining is an important component of our economy. Yet, investment in hard rock mining continues to decline at an accelerating rate. Exploration for new resources, an investment toward future mineral production and supplies, is being increasingly directed away from the United States toward countries in Latin America and in the Pacific region. Between 1996 and 1999, a nearly 88 percent drop occurred in

U.S. development expenditures by precious metals producers. This coincided with a nearly 452 percent rise in such expenditures by companies in South America. According to a recent study by Behre Dolbear, the U.S. is now ranked worst in terms of the time required for processing and receiving permits. On the average, it now takes from 4 to 8 years to receive necessary permits. [September 15, 2003]