China Sends a Permitting Wake-Up Call

Government permitting snarls U.S. economic growth, and these days it also jeopardizes national security. A 3 a.m. wake-up call for Washington came last week when China announced export restrictions on antimony, a critical mineral in weapon systems and semiconductors.

Beijing isn’t coy about its motives. Restricting antimony exports, China’s commerce ministry says, is needed “to further protect China’s national security and interests and fulfil the nation’s international non-proliferation obligations.”

That’s the Chinese Communist Party’s way of reminding the West of its dependence on China for national defense. More than 300 types of munitions require antimony, and China accounts for about half of the world’s production. Russia and Tajikistan make up most of the rest. The U.S. doesn’t mine antimony and sources 63% of its imports from China.

But America needn’t depend on China. Idaho boasts one of the world’s largest antimony reserves where Perpetua Resources has been trying to develop a gold and antimony mine for more than a decade. The company began the National Environmental Policy Act permitting process in 2016, yet it needs some 50 permits from federal, state and local agencies.

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