WSU Tri-Cities to Host Community Panel on the Importance of Critical Minerals

The Washington State University Tri-Cities Institute for Northwest Energy Futures (INEF) is hosting a community forum on the pressing geopolitical topic of critical minerals. The event, titled “Digging for Energy: Why Critical Minerals Matter,” will take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on March 10, both online and in person at the WSU Tri-Cities campus in Richland.

The program will feature a four-person panel, including guest speakers from WSU, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and other industry groups. Together, they will discuss the current state of U.S. critical mineral supplies and how those supplies affect domestic energy and technology development. The panel is designed for a non-technical audience, offering clear explanations that break down the complexities of the critical minerals debate.

“The goal of this panel is really to give people an avenue to learn what these critical minerals are, why we want them, where we’re getting them, and also ask questions to help understand the science around the topic,” said Erin Benson, assistant professor of critical minerals for the WSU School of the Environment and an INEF faculty fellow, who will be speaking as one of the panelists.

According to the Energy Act of 2020, a critical mineral is defined as a non-fuel material that is considered essential for economic or national security and susceptible to supply-chain disruption.

In the United States, the most recently published critical minerals list comprises 60 minerals — including all 15 elements known as rare earths. Rare earth elements are crucial for producing high-quality magnets used in large-scale electrical turbines, among other things. Today, an estimated 70 percent of all rare earth elements produced globally come from China.

“China has at times turned off the tap on rare earth elements and just stopped exporting them to anyone,” Benson said. “It’s a known risk.” 

For the March panel, Benson said she hopes to discuss how the U.S. government surveys for potential critical mineral deposits, as well as the risks and tradeoffs associated with domestic mining and production. 

In addition to Benson, the panelists for the forum are Aaron Feaver, WSU’s executive director for the Joint Center for Deployment & Research in Earth Abundant Materials; Nabajit Lahiri, research scientist at PNNL; and Sidney Smith, government affairs manager for the American Exploration and Mining Association. Sean V. O’Brien, director of the Energy Forward Alliance, will serve as moderator.

The event is free and open to the public. Those who plan to attend are encouraged to RSVP online.

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Registration link: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8AKP6PTiA0wIaV0