HB 177 - Critical and Essential Minerals

• Directs Alaska to develop a strategy for exploration, development, production, refining, and value-added manufacturing of critical and essential minerals with goals to position the state at the center of U.S. production and support emerging technologies.

• Requires the Department of Natural Resources to submit a report by the first day of the Second Regular Session of the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature comparing Alaska's current and potential critical mineral production to national and global levels.

• Directs the report to identify strategies for increasing exploration and production of critical and essential minerals over the next three, five, and 10 years, using federal critical minerals lists from the U.S. Department of Energy and Geological Survey.

• Requires the report to compare Alaska's permitting timelines and exploration incentives with other jurisdictions, with consultation from state and federal agencies, the University of Alaska, industry representatives, Native corporations, and advocacy organizations.

• Amends existing mineral development commission recommendations to include strategies for attracting industry investment and increasing exploration for and discovery of critical and essential minerals.