Arguably, no nation on earth has been endowed with a greater abundance of critical and rare earth minerals than the United States.1 The National Mining Association estimates that the United States sits atop $6 trillion in mineral resources.2 We could be easily adding $50 to 100 billion to our GDP every year through a smart, pro-growth mining policy.

But foolishly, we are not. As recently as 1990, the United States led the world in mining output. But, according to 2017 data from the U.S. Geological Survey, the United States is today nearly 100 percent import-dependent for at least 20 critical minerals (not including each of the “rare earths”), and between 50 and 99 percent reliant for another group of 30 key minerals.3 If all 17 rare earth elements were counted separately—as they should be—the United States is importing 37 minerals at 100 percent, for a total of 67 key minerals imported at more than 50 percent reliance.