US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

50 U.S.C. § 98g

Materials development and research

(a)

Development, mining, preparation, treatment, and utilization of ores and other mineral substances

(1)
1
1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
The President shall make scientific, technologic, and economic investigations concerning the development, mining, preparation, treatment, and utilization of ores and other mineral substances that (A) are found in the United States, its territories or possessions, or in a reliable source  (B) are essential to the national defense, industrial, and essential civilian needs of the United States, and (C) are found in known domestic sources in inadequate quantities or grades.
(2)
Such investigations shall be carried out in order to develop new sources of strategic and critical materials, develop substitutes, or conserve domestic sources and reliable sources of supply for such strategic and critical materials.
(3)
Investigations under paragraph (1) may be carried out on public lands and, with the consent of the owner, on privately owned lands for the purpose of exploring and determining the extent and quality of deposits of such minerals, the most suitable methods of mining and beneficiating such minerals, and the cost at which the minerals or metals may be produced.
(b)

Development of sources of supplies of agricultural materials; use of agricultural commodities for manufacture of materials

section 98b(a) of this titleThe President shall make scientific, technologic, and economic investigations of the feasibility of developing domestic sources of supplies of any agricultural material or for using agricultural commodities for the manufacture of any material determined pursuant to to be a strategic and critical material or substitutes therefor.

(c)

Development of sources of supply of other materials; development or use of alternative methods for refining or processing materials in stockpile

The President shall make scientific, technologic, and economic investigations concerning the feasibility of—
(1)
section 98b(a) of this title developing domestic sources of supply of materials (other than materials referred to in subsections (a) and (b)) determined pursuant to to be strategic and critical materials; and
(2)
developing or using alternative methods for the refining or processing of a material in the stockpile so as to convert such material into a form more suitable for use during an emergency or for storage.
(d)

Grants and contracts to encourage conservation of strategic and critical materials

section 98b(a) of this titleThe President shall encourage the conservation of domestic sources of any material determined pursuant to to be a strategic and critical material by making grants or awarding contracts for research regarding the development of—
(1)
substitutes for such material; or
(2)
more efficient methods of production or use of such material.

June 7, 1939, ch. 190, § 8Pub. L. 96–41, § 2(a)93 Stat. 322Pub. L. 101–189, div. C, title XXXIII, § 3311103 Stat. 1686Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XIV, § 1411(e)(2)(B)137 Stat. 527(, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

act June 7, 1939, ch. 190, § 8July 23, 1946, ch. 59060 Stat. 60067 Stat. 63472 Stat. 1799Pub. L. 90–608, § 40282 Stat. 1194section 2(a) of Pub. L. 96–41section 98d(c) of this titleA prior section 98g, , as added , ; amended 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 3, § 2(b), eff. , 18 F.R. 3375, ; 1958 Reorg. Plan No. 1, § 2, eff. , 23 F.R. 4991, ; , , ; Ex. Ord. No. 11725, § 3, eff. , 38 F.R. 17175, authorized appropriations for procurement, transportation, maintenance, rotation, storage, and refining or processing of materials acquired under this subchapter, prior to repeal by . See .

section 98f of this titlePub. L. 96–41Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in former prior to repeal by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 118–31, § 1411(e)(2)(B)(i)2023—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “its territories or possessions, or in a reliable source” for “or in its territories or possessions,”.

Pub. L. 118–31, § 1411(e)(2)(B)(ii)Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “in order to develop new sources of strategic and critical materials, develop substitutes, or conserve domestic sources and reliable sources of supply for such strategic and critical materials.” for “in order to—

“(A) determine and develop new domestic sources of supply of such ores and mineral substances;

“(B) devise new methods for the treatment and utilization of lower grade reserves of such ores and mineral substances; and

“(C) develop substitutes for such essential ores and mineral products.”

Pub. L. 101–1891989—Subsecs. (c), (d). added subsecs. (c) and (d).

Executive Documents

Delegation of Functions

section 98 of this titleFunctions of President under subsec. (a) of this section delegated to Secretary of the Interior and functions of President under subsec. (b) of this section delegated to Secretary of Agriculture by section 1 of Ex. Ord. No. 12636, , 53 F.R. 6114, set out under .