FY20 NDAA Prohibits Sourcing Tantalum From Non-Allied Countries
WELLESLEY, Mass., January 6, 2020 (Newswire.com) - As a leading provider of tantalum, Global Advanced Metals' advance compliance with new U.S. legislation ensures a stable, uninterrupted supply of tantalum to the U.S. market.
The National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) for Fiscal Year 2020, which was signed into law on Dec. 20, 2019, prohibits the U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) from acquiring tantalum from non-allied foreign nations, specifically Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. This law demonstrates that the United States government is taking steps to increase supply chain security for tantalum and other critical materials. The law specifically adds tantalum to a list of critical materials under an existing statute, 10 U.S.C. 2533c (“2533c”), aimed at reducing the DoD’s dependence on sources that could subject the U.S. to future supply chain disruptions.
Global Advanced Metals (GAM), a fully integrated leading tantalum producer is fully compliant to 2533c. “Our vertically integrated supply chain, from mine to finished product, enables us to provide customers a reliable long term source of a complete range of high-performance tantalum products,” said GAM’s CEO Andrew O’Donovan. Tantalum is utilized in key defense industry applications such as missile systems, aircraft turbines, and electrical circuitry. In May of 2018, the U.S. Department of Interior published a list naming tantalum as one of only 35 critical minerals, “the absence of which would have significant consequences for the economy or national security.”
The new law is effective immediately and the DoD is expected to soon update its current restrictions (DFARS 252.225-7052) on sourcing certain materials from non-allied countries. DoD contractors are now required to source tantalum metals and alloys from 2533c-compliant providers such as GAM.
About Global Advanced Metals (GAM)
A leading conflict-free tantalum producer fully compliant with 10 U.S.C. §2533c, GAM has exclusive rights to the world’s largest industrial resources of tantalum ore located in Western Australia. GAM produces conflict-free tantalum powders and metallurgical products at its Pennsylvania, USA and Aizu, Japan plants for a range of industries including electronics, aerospace, automotive, medical and chemical processing. GAM’s processing facilities in Japan and the USA were first declared "Conflict-Free" in 2010 under the former EICC/GeSI Conflict Free Sourcing Initiative (CFSI) audit program and continue to maintain their conformance status under the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI).
Media Contact:
Kurt Habecker
Phone: +1 (610) 369-8220
Email: KHabecker@globaladvancedmetals.com
Source: Global Advanced Metals