69th Legislature 2025 HR 2.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HR 2
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2
2 INTRODUCED BY R. GREGG, W. GALT, L. SCHUBERT, G. OVERSTREET, E. BYRNE, C. SCHOMER, D.
3 ZOLNIKOV, M. BERTOGLIO, L. JONES, S. FITZPATRICK, B. LER, R. MINER, K. ZOLNIKOV, J.
4 FITZPATRICK, B. MITCHELL
5
6 A RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA SUPPORTING
7 THE EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT, PROCESSING, REFINING, RECYCLING, AND REUSE OF CRITICAL
8 MINERALS IN MONTANA.
9
10 WHEREAS, critical minerals, including rare earth elements, are necessary for many vital applications,
11 including but not limited to high-performance and quantum computing, renewable and traditional energy
12 development, electric vehicles and batteries, medical imaging and technology, electronics, and high-strength
13 magnets, and for use by our nation's military, from special forces gear and munitions to tanks and fighter jets;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, the United States Geological Survey and the United States Department of Energy have
16 designated lists of these critical minerals and materials used for these purposes that are at risk of supply chain
17 disruption; and
18 WHEREAS, the United States currently imports a majority of its critical minerals for these purposes,
19 including from its geopolitical adversaries, mainly China, which controls more than 50% of the mining and over
20 90% of the processing, refining, and recycling and reuse for certain critical elements; and
21 WHEREAS, China has restricted and/or banned the export of certain critical minerals and rare earth
22 elements to the United States and its allies, including the technology used to produce them; and
23 WHEREAS, the White House and Congress have developed a myriad of programs, orders, and
24 initiatives to address these supply chain risks and are investing billions of dollars in domestic and allied critical
25 minerals mining, processing, refining, recycling and reuse, and manufacturing projects; and
26 WHEREAS, Montana has significant deposits of these listed critical minerals in its geology, both at
27 existing mines and at abandoned legacy sites; and
28 WHEREAS, Montana is home to the nation's only platinum group metals-producing mines, the 69th Legislature 2025 HR 2.1
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HR 2
1 Stillwater and East Boulder mines, and has mines and processing facilities that produce or have historically
2 produced critical minerals, including copper, molybdenum, nickel, manganese, zinc, tungsten, antimony,
3 chromium, and aluminum, and is therefore uniquely poised to help America secure its critical minerals supply
4 chains; and
5 WHEREAS, Montana desires to responsibly develop its mineral resources and to expand and establish
6 mining, processing, refining, recycling and reuse, and manufacturing facilities for critical minerals, which would
7 advance its economy and be for the mutual benefit of our nation's technological, energy, and economic
8 advancements, and allow for our nation's continued security and defense; and
9 WHEREAS, critical minerals mining, processing, refining, recycling and reuse, and manufacturing done
10 in Montana and domestically, in accordance with our global-leading labor, safety, public engagement, and
11 environmental standards, provides responsible development assurances that result in major global
12 environmental and humanitarian benefits when compared to projects if they are conducted in China, Russia,
13 and many other developing countries; and
14 WHEREAS, the United States government, including its Department of Defense, and Montana's
15 Congressional Delegation have continued to support the advancement of critical minerals projects in Montana.
16
17 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
18 MONTANA:
19 That the 69th Legislature urges the state, federal, tribal, and local jurisdictions across Montana to
20 acknowledge the information provided here and to support the further study, identification, exploration, and
21 responsible and appropriate development, processing, refining, and recycling and reuse of critical minerals and
22 materials in Montana for the benefit of its local communities and economies and to strengthen America's
23 domestic supply chains for achieving its technological, economic, and energy transition goals and to secure its
24 national defense.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State send copies of this resolution to the
26 President of the United States and his cabinet, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the
27 Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and the Montana Congressional Delegation.
28 - END -