Development of a new U.S. mine—from discovery to production—takes nearly 29 years, on average NEW YORK, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States has the second longest lead times in the world for developing a new mine for the critical minerals that are vital to the energy transition, according to new report by S&P Global.* The report, Mine Development Times: The U.S. in Perspective found that it takes an average of 29 years for such mines to go from discovery to production in the United States, longe ...