To allow the Secretary of the Interior to enter into memoranda of understanding for the purpose of scientific and technical cooperation in the mapping of critical minerals and rare earth elements.

SA 3712 is an amendment to bill S. 2296. It aims to add a new section titled "Finding Opportunities for Resource Exploration" to the bill.

The purpose of this amendment is to prioritize the onshoring of critical mineral processing and to increase the security and resilience of international supply chains for critical minerals and rare earth elements.

To achieve this, the amendment proposes the following changes and additions:

• Memorandums of Understanding: It allows the Secretary of the Interior (through the Director of the United States Geological Survey) to enter into agreements with heads of agencies in partner foreign countries for scientific and technical cooperation in mapping these resources.

• Cooperative Activities: These agreements would involve activities such as:

  • Collecting and analyzing geologic, geophysical, and geochemical data.
  • Resource assessment and prospectivity mapping.
  • Scientific collaboration and training for government officials and private companies.
  • Facilitating education at institutions of higher education.

• Data Protection: It requires that mapping data created through these activities be protected from unauthorized access or disclosure to entities in countries that are not part of the agreement or are not allied foreign countries.

• Role of the Secretary of State: The Secretary of State would handle matters regarding private-sector investment and ensuring that companies from the United States or allied foreign countries are offered the right of first refusal for further development of these minerals.

• Congressional Oversight: The Secretary and Secretary of State must jointly notify appropriate committees of Congress and provide a detailed report at least 30 days before entering into such an agreement.