Rare earth elements are found in nearly every aspect of our lives. Televisions, smartphones, tablets, computers, stereos, and cars all contain rare earth elements. Our national security also relies on rare earths in precision-guided missiles, radar, night-vision goggles, lasers, satellites, fighter jets, and submarines. Virtually every aspect of modern society relies in part on
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EPA Finds No Systemic Threat to Drinking Water from Fracking
By Mike Mills & Eric Skanchy on
On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) released a long awaited, and congressionally mandated, study detailing the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water. The EPA found no signs of “widespread, systemic” drinking water pollution from hydraulic fracturing.
“It is the most complete compilation of scientific data to date,” says Dr. Thomas Burke, with the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, “including over 950 sources of information, published papers, numerous technical reports, information from stakeholders and peer-reviewed EPA scientific reports.”
“After more than five years and millions of dollars, the evidence gathered by EPA confirms what the agency has already acknowledged and what the oil and gas industry has known,” said Erik Milito, with the American Petroleum Institute. “Hydraulic fracturing is being done safely under the strong environmental stewardship of state regulators and industry best practices.”
Continue Reading EPA Finds No Systemic Threat to Drinking Water from Fracking
New Information on Demand for Rare Earths Demonstrates Need to Increase Efficiency in U.S. Mining Permitting Processes
By Mike Mills on
Posted in Mining, Permitting
Minerals Make Life – a national, non-profit mining association – has recently developed an illuminating infographic indicating the increased demand for rare earth minerals. Presence of these minerals in the earth’s crust is common, but much less common in terms of minable concentrations. While demand for rare earths is rising, the current state of U.S.
