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Graphite One Comments on U.S. Government's Critical Mineral Policies and Announces Awarding of Options and Postponement of Certain Filings Due to COVID-19
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 30, 2020 / Graphite One Inc. (TSXV:GPH)(OTCQB:GPHOF) ("Grap...
About this update from Graphite One Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Graphite One Comments on U.S. Government's Critical Mineral Policies and Announces Awarding of Options and Postponement of Certain Filings Due to COVID-19VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 30, 2020 / Graphite One Inc. (TSXV:GPH)(OTCQB:GPHOF) (\"Graphite One\" or the \"Company\") Graphite One notes recent policy developments in the U.S. Congress and Executive Branch on Critical Minerals, including graphite. On June 24, 2020 the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources (ENR) held a hearing titled \"Impacts of COVID-19 on Critical Minerals Supply Chains.\" The Senate hearing took place several weeks after two Presidential Executive Orders expanded U.S. federal policy on strategic and critical minerals ranging from a review of federal project permitting to making critical minerals projects eligible for Defense Production Act Title III loan programs.\"The Senate hearing, in addition to the new Presidential Executive Orders, indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored to the U.S. Government the risks inherent in depending on foreign supply chains,\" said Anthony Huston, CEO. \"There is no reason for the U.S. to be 100% import-dependent for graphite and other critical minerals essential to 21st Century technology requirements. This sharpened focus on U.S. supply chains underscores the importance of our Graphite Creek project and our mine-to-material plan to establish a long term source of natural graphite and advanced materials graphite processing in the United States.\"Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who presided over last week's hearing, observed in her opening remarks:\"The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how delicate our supply chains are, and that should be a wakeup call for all of us. Our job is not simply to impose a royalty on mineral production on federal lands and then call it a day. It is to rebuild our supply chains, and to recognize that no realistic level of subsidies and incentives can compete with having raw materials available here at home.\"Murkowski highlighted her bill, co-sponsored by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), the American Minerals Security Act. According to Senator Manchin, \"this bill will connect energy-producing communities, including in states like West Virginia and Alaska, to new markets and job opportunities while laying the groundwork for the De...