Pub. 3 2013 Issue 2

5 MINING FOCUS Mark Compton, President W i t h o u t q u e s t i o n , transportation is vital to the Utah economy. A transportation system that promotes the efficient movement of people and goods is critical to our state’s prosperity and quality of life. Sufficiently funding such an important system is a challenge for Utah’s policymakers and taxpayers, and we can debate the best ways to do that, but I believe we can all agree that a well-functioning transportation system is an important aspect of our lives. It makes sense that we spend a good deal of time and resources dedicated to ensuring such a fundamental aspect of our economy and way of life is properly maintained and enhanced. After all, today’s society couldn’t function without it. So it is with the mining industry. Mining truly is the foundation of our economy. We may not give it much thought as we go about our daily lives, but mining plays a significant role in everything we use and everything we do – and our modes of transportation and the infrastructure to support them are no exception. Whether traveling by train, plane or automobile, or even on your bicycle, take a moment to think about the materials needed to produce those. And think about the highways, bridges, rail lines, and airports needed to get us where we are going. Do they just appear? Of course not – theymust be built. And they must be built with mined materials. So maybe it is time for the U.S. to spend some time and resources to ensure the domestic mining industry can function well. After all, a healthy and vibrant mining industry is indispensable to the economic and energy security of the Nation. The ability to access mineral deposits is critical, especially in a state with 70% federal land. Land use decisions have denied access to so much of our important mineral resources, and of course, mines can only be located where economically viable deposits exist. If we are able to access the mineral deposits, the ability to permit mining projects in a timely manner becomes a critical component to attract mining investment in Utah and in the U.S. Let’s give these issues the attention they deserve. At the Utah Mining Association, we use catchphrases such as “It All Starts with Mining” or “If it isn’t Grown, it has to be Mined” to help make the connection between mining and everyone’s daily lifestyle and standard of living, but it really is true. As the beginning of the supply chain for everything we use and everything we do, everything really does start with mining. What could be more fundamental to our economy than that?  TRANSPORTATION IS VITAL