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Sources: Former Newmont executive to oversee mining at US Energy Council

Two sources familiar with this appointment confirmed that former Newmont executive David Copley was appointed to oversee the mining portfolio of the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council. This makes him the highest ranking federal official shaping the domestic minerals policy.

The President Donald Trump created the Council last month to increase not only U.S. production of oil and gas, but also extraction and processing lithium, copper, and other essential minerals that are used throughout the economy.

Trump and his predecessors have long been irritated by China's near total control over the vital minerals industry. The U.S. still does not have a senior official in charge of federal mining policy, despite the fact that the Bureau of Mines closed down in 1996 as a result of a series of budget cuts.

The U.S. Mining Policy is administered by multiple agencies including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Their priorities are often in conflict.

Copley, who will advise Trump and other officials about permitting reforms and help coordinate the executive branch's supervision of the mining industry, will serve as the senior White House official for mining.

Last week, it was reported that Trump considered naming a person to coordinate U.S. Mining Policy.

Separately, Trump signed on Thursday an executive order that directed a review to determine which federal lands (including those controlled by Pentagon) could be used to process minerals. This was among other measures aimed at boosting the domestic mining industry.

The White House sent questions about Copley's nomination to the U.S. Department of the Interior. However, the Department was not available for comment immediately. Copley wasn't immediately available for comment. Newmont declined comment.

Copley, an economist by trade, is a U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer who worked for the State Department during Trump's first tenure on Iraq-related matters.

He held positions at U.S. Silica (a minerals producer purchased last year by Apollo Global Management), and Active Minerals International (a producer of ceramic kaolin).

Copley was an intelligence officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. He also worked as a consultant for Boston Consulting Group.

Copley had been working in strategic development for Denver-based Newmont until recently. Newmont is the largest gold producer by production, with a $54 billion market value and operations in 13 countries. After purchasing Australian rival Newcrest, the miner expanded into copper production.

Abigail Hunter is the executive director of SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy. She said that she was pleased to see “someone with mining expertise” as the administration’s point person for mines, a position for which her think tank lobbied to create.

Hunter said that a diffuse approach made it difficult to align policy goals. The presence of someone with this role on the Council can help to cement a united federal strategy. (Reporting and editing by Veronica Brown and Chris Reese; Additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, Jamie Freed and Veronica Brown; Reporting and editing by Ernest Scheyder; Additional reporting by Divyarajagopal)

(source: Reuters)