American Manganese commented today on the inclusion of three of its target metals – lithium, cobalt and manganese – on the U.S. Government’s official Critical Minerals List.  The List, mandated by the Presidential Executive Order of December 20, 2017,

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-federal-strategy-ensure-secure-reliable-supplies-critical-minerals/ includes 35 minerals and metals considered “critical to the U.S. economy and national security.”

According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s report on the Critical Minerals List:

• Lithium, Cobalt and Manganese are each one of 9 minerals on the Critical List to meet all 6 of the industrial/defense sector indicators used in its formulation. 

• Manganese is one of 14 minerals on the List for which the U.S. is 100% import-dependent, and it is one of 5 minerals to meet all 6 of the industrial/defense sector indicators – and for which China is the leading global producer.

With interest in critical minerals intensifying, AMY Advisory Board member Dan McGroarty, who has testified numerous times before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on critical minerals issues, published an oped in Investor’s Business Daily:  “For Want of a Nail:  It’s Time to Make the Connection Between Critical Minerals and National Defense.”

https://www.investors.com/politics/commentary/critical-minerals-national-defense/

In the oped, McGroarty notes that:

• 16 of the 35 Critical Minerals appear in a non-classified defense study as “hav[ing] already caused some kind of significant weapon system production delay for DoD.”

• For 22 of the 35 listed minerals, China is either the leading global producer, leading U.S. supplier – or both.

“The metals and minerals on which U.S. weapons platforms depend are all too often sourced from foreign suppliers – a vulnerability that America’s adversaries could exploit in time of conflict,” McGroarty writes.  “Until now, however, awareness of the problem has not produced action anywhere near adequate to reverse or even reduce this dangerous dependency.”

“Dan’s article highlights the new focus on critical minerals as a U.S. Government policy priority,” said Larry Reaugh, CEO of AMY.  “In fact, every major industrialized nation is going to need reliable access to cobalt, lithium, manganese and other critical minerals in order to maintain advanced manufacturing, develop alternative energy systems and meet national security needs.”

The U.S. Government’s new focus on critical minerals comes as AMY’s U.S. patent application was published on May 17, 2018.  The full press release on the patent —  No. WO2018/089595 and titled: PROCESS OF COBALTOUS SULPHATE/DITH-IONATE LIQUORS DERIVED FROM COBALT RESOURCE – is available here:

https://americanmanganeseinc.com/american-manganese-inc-announces-publication-of-lithium-ion-battery-cathode-recycling-process-patent-pending/

With the publication of the U.S. Government Critical Minerals List, the U.S. Department of Commerce will now issue a report on recommendations to increase domestic supply of critical minerals no later than August 16, 2018.

About Daniel McGroarty

Dan has consulted for more nearly two decades with firms in the resource sector, with a focus on strategic and critical metals. He has testified to both the House and Senate energy and natural resources committees on critical and strategic materials issues.  Prior to establishing his consultancy, Dan served as Special Assistant to the President in the White House and as presidential appointee to two Secretaries of Defense.  His commentary and articles on critical minerals and a range of policy issues have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, Politico, Forbes, The Hill, FoxNews.com, National Review, the Los Angeles Times, The Public Interest, Policy Review and The American Spectator.

About American Manganese Inc.

American Manganese Inc. is a diversified specialty and critical metal company focused on capitalizing on its patented intellectual property through low cost production and recovery of electrolytic manganese products throughout the world, and recycling of spent electric vehicle lithium ion rechargeable batteries. 

Interest in the Company’s patented process has adjusted the focus of American Manganese Inc. toward the examination of applying its patented technology for other purposes and materials.  American Manganese Inc. aims to capitalize on its patented technology and proprietary know-how to become the industry leader in recycling spent electric vehicle lithium ion batteries and recovering 100% of the cathode metals such as:  Lithium-Cobalt, Lithium-Cobalt-Nickel-Manganese, Lithium-Cobalt- Aluminum and Lithium-Manganese (Please see the Company’s March 23, 2018 Business Plan (“CBP”) for further details).