Though I've never worked directly in lead mining or smelting, I grew up near and around the old lead mining districts of NE Oklahoma, SW Mo, and SE Ks, and obtained my under graduate studies at the Univ. of Mo. - Rolla. As a design and project engineer and construction manager, I've worked in hard-rock copper mining and smelting which is fairly similar, in Aluminum smelting and production, oil shale mining and processing, molybdenum mining and refining, uranium mining and refining, gold and silver mining and refining, and have familiarity with all other mining and metals production.

There are several metals not mined in the US including aluminum, nickel, and rare earths, and others have been drastically reduced by EPA and state environmental regulation including copper, cobalt, and of course coal (though not a metal). The impact on that industry (mining, smelting, refining, and production) in general over the last 30 years or so has been so drastic, as in reducing to near extinction levels in many, if not most areas of the US.

Someone asked the question of primary vs. secondary (or recovered) lead for bullets. There is no significant impact on the quality of ammo, whether lead or jacketed. Though I can't quote the numbers, I think that the most lead used in hunting ammo was that for shot for bird hunting which has essentially all been changed to steel for a number of years now, again through EPA because of accumulations in lake and river areas. A significant portion of rifle ammo is expended at ranges, where it is recovered and re-used. Of note is a recent change in the law in California to totally eliminate lead ammo in that state.

Of course there will be cost increases resulting from the need to import primary lead, since recovered lead pricing follows the costs set by primary lead.

Hope this adds some to the discussion.

This needs to be shouted from the roof tops. Sadly few will even notice.

Back in the mid - late 90's I did a bunch of contracting at P&H. Most of my time was spent at the main facility on National Ave where at that time they were making the world largest walking drag lines. But, I also spent a day or two every week at the P&H institute. Back then they were doing a lot of mine consulting, and teaching folks to maintain and manages the equipment. Thing is, all of their consulting trips were either to Africa or Australia. The folks coming to the institute were from all over the place, but going back to work after training meant going back to Africa or Australia.

Fast forward to today, I recently had a talk with a recruiter about signing on at Planetary Resources. My career will really have come full circle as I would be working back in the mining industry. Just the big difference this time would be that they will be mining asteroids. I think partially thanks to the fools at the EPA asteroid mining will be a reality in our lifetimes. Their are a few good things coming out of it. First, we wont need to ship water into space. Oddly I see that one as the biggest one. Second, there are some rocks out there that are loaded with stuff that we could make very good use of in a fairly big way. And finally the best part, the EPA cannot stop it..

I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this. I can’t believe people on this website haven’t been talking about it. Isn't’ this huge? Couldn’t this also be a reason Homeland Security was buying up all that ammo? If the plant closes and they find some way to place some type of special tariffs on imports, making importing ridiculously expensive, they will disarm us by default. Three years. Unbelievable. I want to know more about this company and wether or not the owner would consider going back into business if we can address this matter.I think the next government should subsidize the changes for this industry. I mean, green-living is something the liberals want to invest, right? I would love to watch this socialist’s collective-heads explode.