The Alaska Legislature has ordered the creation of a long-term mining development plan for “critical and essential minerals” important to high-technology and defense manufacturing.
Senate Bill 118, from Sen. Kelly Merrick, R-Eagle River, passed the state Senate on a 20-0 vote in late April, and the state House passed it by a 39-1 vote on Sunday.
Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, was the lone “no” vote.
Speaking in favor of the bill, House Majority Leader Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River, said that state lawmakers want to see Alaska become an alternative to Chinese-controlled sources of rare minerals used in solar panels, weapons and other high-tech manufacturing.
The bill directs the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to “identify strategies to increase industry exploration for and state production and development of critical and essential minerals in the next three, five, and 10 years.”
The bill also requires a second report that “must evaluate whether the state’s location is valuable in the global supply chain and identify strategies for the next three, five, and 10 years to develop state innovation, manufacturing, and transportation.”
Both reports must be delivered to the Legislature by January 2026.
“This is a direction of our state government to work with academia, with other government agencies … and industry experts to try and identify what hurdles might be in the way and what kind of policies we might take in our state government that will also encourage private industry to invest in building these critical minerals for our country,” Saddler said.
The bill advances to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s desk for final approval or veto.
