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Stephen Dunn is President and CEO of US Copper Corp, a company focused on reviving copper mining operations in Northern California. With over 30 years of experience in the investment and mining industries, Dunn has held various leadership roles, including CEO positions at several resource companies. He founded US Copper in 2007, where he has been instrumental in advancing projects like the Moonlight-Superior Copper Project, which has significant historical production and promising economic potential.
Mining in the United States has faced one of the most cumbersome permitting processes in the world for years, with some projects taking decades to gain approval. Our current bureaucratic labyrinth stifles investment, weakens supply chain security, and forces reliance on foreign nations for critical minerals.
However, change may be on the horizon. President Donald Trump has pledged to cut regulation and streamline government overreach, aiming to reinvigorate American industry. His recent executive order, “Unleash American Energy”, appears to be a direct step toward expediting permitting processes, reducing an excessive regulatory burden, and restoring American energy and mineral independence. Additionally such policies can be seen as a prudent and necessary response to the increasing geo-political turbulence of our times and the vulnerability of a nation reliant on tenuous external supply chains.
The U.S. currently produces approximately one million tons of copper annually but consumes over two million tons. This shortfall requires the country to import over $10 billion of this essential mineral every year and makes the US vulnerable to global supply disruptions. By streamlining permitting and encouraging domestic production, the U.S. can meet its own mineral demands and eliminate the dependence on foreign sources that we now have.
Many mining skeptics are not aware that modern mining technology has made responsible and sustainable extraction practices possible. Contrary to common misconception, mining in the U.S. is subject to some of the world’s strictest environmental regulations. And, nobody wants to change that. Extracting resources domestically nowadays ensures adherence to high environmental and labor standards, making American mining a strong moral alternative to sourcing minerals from countries with lax regulations and poor human rights records.
I think that there is deep wisdom in the saying, “We have not inherited the land from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children.” The origins of this quote are debated, but its relevance to open pit mining is undeniable. It is particularly apt as we consider what kind of life, what kind of future we owe our children and our grandchildren and what decisions we make to deliver that. Balancing economic development with environmental stewardship is crucial to ensuring that future generations inherit a sustainable and resource-rich planet, while responsibly enjoying the wealth that it can yield. American miners are at the forefront of this trend which is fully in focus with the industry’s commitment to the Social Impact Assessment and Site Rehabilitation Plan integral to every mine license.
The Biden administration, took measures to strengthen the U.S.’s mineral security. That administration deserves credit for the initial steps to define critical minerals and offer financing to projects deemed essential for national security. While these steps were encouraging, they did not address the fundamental issue: the painfully slow permitting process that discourages investment. We need a thorough, yet efficient permitting process that can conclude with a clear yes or no, rather than what can seem like a permanent filibuster in which “delay is the deadliest form of refusal”. There are valid reasons why we should want to mine. And yes, challenging questions are important to ensuring we do the right projects in the right way and should be intelligently and sympathetically addressed. This objective can be achieved transparently, within set timelines and without an implicit veto that can be exercised by unidentified special interests.
Trump’s recent social media post advocating for permits to be expedited for investments exceeding $1 billion, underscores the urgency of reforming the permitting system. If large-scale projects can receive quicker approvals, it will reinvigorate the U.S. mining industry, attract investment in the billions, and bring welcome prosperity to many undeveloped and remote communities that struggle with persistent under-employment. Mining in the U.S. could once again become a favorable investment and a driver of economic growth and national security.
US Copper has one of a number of large known copper deposits in the USA that are advancing toward production. Their development would create thousands of jobs, generate large tax revenues and in turn eliminate our copper trade deficit. For this to happen, our investors need to know that responsible mining projects can be permitted in a reasonable time frame. If not. copper and other known sources of critical minerals in this country will stay in the ground. Will our policymakers continue to take decisive action in streamlining regulations and expediting permits so that the U.S. can unleash its mineral potential? We will soon know.
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