September 14, 2023: The head of US lead miner and recycler the Doe Run Company has called for greater government support to boost domestic mineral production to meet clean energy goals.
President and CEO Matthew Wohl (pictured) said on September 7 the US — and Missouri in particular — has the mineral resources, technology, and workforce required to support a green energy economy.
Wohl, whose remarks came as the company published its 14th annual sustainability report, urged significant investment in processing of critical minerals such as zinc, cobalt, nickel, tin and antimony, together with other minerals vital to electrification and the battery industry such as lead and copper.
All are available to Doe Run in a number of ways including from existing mines, lead battery recycling, controlled mineral deposits and mine tailings, Wohl said.
The US would also benefit from increased education and training to help develop, recruit and retain a domestic workforce to meet growing energy-product demands.
“Missouri has key mineral resources critical to powering an electrified future and reducing greenhouse gases,” Wohl said.
“Doe Run is uniquely positioned to help Missouri become the centerpiece of the nation’s energy transformation.”
Doe Run’s sustainability report provides updates on how the company is managing its environmental responsibilities by reducing the impacts of its operations, remediating historic sites and caring for native forests.
The report also includes information about the firm’s workforce safety and community engagement efforts.
The company, which has more than 1,200 employees mostly in southeast Missouri supplying minerals and metals critical to the battery industry, says the state’s lead battery industry ranks second in the US for its state-wide economic impact.
Doe Run revealed last month that it would invest a $1.2 million training grant in skills development and strengthening production of critical minerals.
The grant was awarded by the Missouri One Start Job Retention Training Program under a state economic development scheme to help firms stay competitive by retaining skills and expanding career opportunities.