SAFE

The future of critical minerals is at a pivotal moment. Join us on Monday, September 23 for a livestream from the inaugural convening of the MINVEST Network. MINVEST, a project of the U.S. State Department and SAFE, supports the investment pillar of the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP), which catalyzes global efforts to drive secure and transparent supply chains for critical minerals. Join us for an important announcement during the opening session of the MSP Finance Meeting, taking place in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly. This is a crucial event for leaders in finance, industry, and policy who are committed to the future of energy security and mineral supply security. 📅 Date: Monday, September 23, 2024 at 9:30 am 🔗 Register for the livestreamed announcement: https://lnkd.in/eGU2YdEC

Check out the most recent edition of SAFE's Energy Security Newsletter. In this edition: - Aluminum production policy takes the stage at UNGA - SAFE's Center for Critical Minerals Strategy's upcoming webinar on trade policy and mineral security marks the release of its forthcoming report - The European Union implements a tariff on Chinese imported EVs, and more

As global demand for critical minerals continues to surge, nations are grappling with supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical tensions. Trade policies have found bipartisan support and are already playing a key role in how the United States addresses the challenges to securing a stable and diverse supply of these resources. Get smart on the issues, hear from experts, and learn how best to leverage trade tools by joining us on 🚨 October 23, 2024, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. 🚨 for a webinar discussion to mark the release of SAFE Center for Critical Minerals Strategy’s new report, “Trading Tensions: Navigating Policy Tools for a Diverse Critical Minerals Supply Chain.”  SAFE’s forthcoming report examines the policy landscape and proposes strategies to navigate these challenges. The report recommends and emphasizes the need for a multi-faceted approach that balances domestic production, international partnerships, and innovative practices. This event will include a dialogue with legal and policy experts exploring the complex intersection of trade policies, national security, and economic competitiveness in the context of critical minerals. Speakers:  Jennifer Hillman, Professor of Practice, Georgetown University Law Center; Former Member, WTO Appellate Body  Sarah Stewart, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Silverado Policy Accelerator   Hon. Kelly Ann Shaw, Partner, Global Regulator, Hogan Lovells  Zubeyde (Zoe) Burcuhan O., Senior Policy Analyst, SAFE Center for Critical Minerals Strategy  Abigail Hunter, Executive Director, SAFE Center for Critical Minerals Strategy 🎟 REGISTER TODAY: https://lnkd.in/g6qMpeDS

Critical Minerals CFIUS Alert! I hope folks in Congress and the Administration are keeping an eye on this fight over Korea Zinc Company, Ltd (고려아연). The WSJ digs into some of the China links of the private equity group that has made a hostile bid for Korea Zinc. Given Korea Zinc's assets in the recycling of critical minerals in the United States and its significant capability and know-how to process zinc, nickel and other critical minerals in South Korea, you can expect that the Department of Treasury and CFIUS will take a hard look at any potential China interest in a take-over. Not saying what conclusion CFIUS would reach, but they definitely need to do a deep dive into this deal if Korea Zinc is taken over by a private equity firm with funding from China and deep Chinese connections. Korea Zinc has some best-in-class IP for processing of critical minerals and precious capacity to produce IRA compliant nickel, zinc and other critical minerals and we cannot afford to have Chinese interests find a backdoor route to the IPR or the IRA compliant processing. #cfiusalert https://lnkd.in/gU8b-9rT

👏 The Department of Defense’s recent announcement that it would award $12.9 million to Nano One Materials Corp. TSX: NANO, a Canadian critical minerals company, to increase production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes—important for battery manufacturing—is an important step toward friend-shoring the supply chains essential to American economic and national security. SAFE applauds this award, which comes via the Defense Production Act Investments program from funds allocated by the IRA. It will help break China’s chokehold on the supply chains necessary for American industry to thrive: https://lnkd.in/eyU6qPDH ➕ Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI) chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, applauded the move in a statement: “As I’ve spoken with members of the industry, I have heard time and time again they believe there is no alternative to partnering with PRC companies to produce LFP batteries. Today’s announcement proves these capabilities exist in North America. I hope automotive manufacturers will consider investing in our domestic industrial base and help amplify the investments of the Defense Department.” 

Check it out: SAFE’s Center for Grid Security’s recently published fact sheet details the essential role of energy transmission infrastructure in American reindustrialization, economic competitiveness, and national security. The fact sheet lays out key actions America can take to unlock its potential as a 21st century energy superpower.     Recommendations and takeaways include:  ⚡ The current grid is not built to withstand increasingly extreme weather or more sophisticated cyber threats—we need transmission to increase grid resilience to minimize these costs and make America a more attractive home for industry.  🏭 Power outages cost businesses billions a year.  ⏰ Our current planning processes waste time and money and create unpredictable timelines.  💡 Deploying affordable power to reshore and grow strategic industries.  ✅ We can do more to optimize timelines for new infrastructure (including passing permitting reform).    Read the Full Fact Sheet: https://lnkd.in/gmGB47eN   

“A stockpile could be a fail-safe, but not a solution to the underlying problem of China’s current control over critical mineral supplies and markets, and our economic vulnerability from lack of supply security or industrial know-how,” said Abigail Hunter, executive director of the Center for Critical Minerals Strategy at SAFE, an organization that advocates for U.S. energy security. Hunter says she welcomes Harris’s focus on critical materials and would like to see a clearer path to market for domestic mines and more global initiatives to accelerate investment in this area. Full story in the WSJ: https://lnkd.in/eQv3K_Qw

REGISTER NOW to hear SAFE CEO Robbie Diamond on WattsNext’s exclusive webcast discussion, "5 Ways to Beat China: Winning the Fusion Race." https://lnkd.in/exDnDJDH When: Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. ET Robbie will join Mike Heumann, Founder and Principal Analyst, Ignition Research and Shaun Walsh, CMO Peak Nano and FIA Supply Chain Organizer to discuss five key strategies to win the fusion energy race against China as the PRC invests $1.5 billion annually in rapid technological advancements.  The conversation will cover: ◾ How to win the race  ◾ How to protect U.S. intellectual property.   ◾ What's at stake—The CCP’s geopolitical aims shape China’s energy and industrial policies. Find out what happens if we let them win. Join for an informative discussion and live Q&A. 

Check out the most recent edition of SAFE's Energy Security Newsletter. In this edition: - MINVEST convenes at UNGA and MSP Finance Network is launched - Commerce Cracks Down on Imported Connected Vehicle Components - $3 billion in MESC Grants Charges Domestic Battery Sector, and more.

This week's biggest transportation policy news is the Biden administration's proposed ban on Chinese software and vehicle components. SAFE's Avery Ash is quoted in the The New York Times and TechCrunch on why this matters for national security: "Foreign adversaries are cornering and leveraging key supply chains to geopolitical and economic ends." This measure "is designed to head off an issue before it fully metastasizes, and it’s also likely to have an impact on companies operating today." Read more: https://lnkd.in/dTTpbJT5 https://lnkd.in/dkKZDHNS