(StatePoint) Of all the developed nations, the United States is afflicted most severely by protracted delays in obtaining mining permits, undermining U.S. global competitiveness and stalling economic opportunity, suggests a new report.

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The report, conducted by the National Mining Association, quantifies how U.S. mining permitting delays that can last a decade or longer impair and discourage investments in mineral development projects, even to the extent that the project ultimately becomes an unviable investment.

While U.S. demand for minerals is rising, it is lagging in the production of the minerals required for high-tech manufacturing to support U.S. defense, advanced energy, high-tech electronics, medical, and transportation industries, say experts.

To learn more about this issue and view the report, visit www.mineralsmakelife.org.