July 18 (Reuters) – It takes an average of nearly 29 years to build a new mine in the U.S., the second-longest in the world behind only Zambia, hampering Washington’s efforts to boost output of lithium, nickel and other metals for the energy transition, a report said on Thursday.
The report by consultancy S&P Global (SPGI.N)
, opens new tab comes amid rising pressure on U.S. officials to streamline what is seen by mining companies and some policymakers as a confusing and lengthy process to obtain a mining permit that harms efforts to offset China’s near-total control of the critical minerals sector.