Sec. 1796. Study on viability of seawater mining for critical minerals
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The Congress finds that— extracting minerals from seawater has the potential to provide a domestic source for minerals that are critical to the defense industrial base of the United States, which would reduce the dependence of the United States on imports of the minerals while strengthening the national security and the defense industrial base of the United States; the cost of extracting uranium from seawater has dropped significantly to nearly $400 per kilogram; and extracting uranium from seawater is an environmentally friendly, emerging technology solution that has the potential to transform how uranium is extracted.
Within 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the head of any other relevant Federal agency and relevant stakeholders, shall conduct a study of the viability of extracting minerals, such as uranium, that are critical to the defense industrial base of the United States, from seawater. Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a written report which contains the results of the study required by subsection (b).