HOUSTON, March 20 (Reuters) - Alaska Governor Mike

Dunleavy called on President Joe Biden on Wednesday to update

and streamline the U.S. mine permitting process in order to

boost domestic production of critical minerals and reduce

dependence on foreign nations.

The push echoes calls from the mining industry for clarity

on how permits can be obtained for mines that produce copper,

lithium and other energy transition minerals. Executives have

long complained the U.S. process can be complex, expensive and

opaque due in part to a federal mining law enacted in 1872.

"Our message to the Biden administration is, 'Do everything

you can to do everything here in America. Get your permitting

processes streamlined,'" Dunleavy told Reuters on the sidelines

of the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston.

It is "somewhat nonsensical," the governor said, that Biden

has pushed for greater adoption of electric vehicles - which

require far more critical minerals to build than internal

combustion engines - but has blocked Northern Dynasty's

Pebble copper and gold mining project.

"If we don't get our permitting processes together, if we

don't start to use data and science again instead of emotion,

this chaos is going to continue," he said.

Dunleavy sued Biden last week for the president's 2023

decision to block Pebble. The suit seeks more than $700 billion,

an amount that the governor says the state will lose in economic

development without the mine. Dunleavy tried unsuccessfully last

year to have the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Biden.

Vancouver-based Northern Dynasty itself sued Biden on

Monday.

The proposed Pebble mine would have "unacceptable and

adverse effects on certain salmon fishery areas" in Alaska's

Bristol Bay, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said last

year.

Dunleavy said he believes the mine and the state's salmon

fishers can co-exist.

"The science is there to be able to develop the mine

responsibly," he said. "We can put the safeguards in, and that's

why I'm a supporter."

Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Alaska's two Republican

U.S. Senators, oppose Pebble, which Dunleavy acknowledged is a

hindrance.

"However, my job as the governor is to advocate for our

state, advocate for the development of our state lands or

minerals, and advocate for the prosperity of our people," he

said.

AMBLER ROAD

Dunleavy, who has endorsed his fellow Republican Donald

Trump against Democrat Biden in the 2024 U.S. presidential

election, is also pushing Biden to approve the construction of

an access road to the prospective Ambler mining district in

northern Alaska.

The Ambler project seeks to open a remote area rich in

copper, zinc and lead and could yield deposits of rare earths

used in weapons manufacturing. Trilogy Metals ( TMQ ) is one of

the region's potential developers.

"I hope it's approved this year. But if it's a post-election

decision and there's a new administration, I hope it's approved

immediately," Dunleavy said.