log. DgW m derness that are determined determin-ed to be unsuitable for addition ad-dition to the Wilderness System. Sys-tem. Use of these lands during the wilderness study will also be reconsidered. Under present policy virtually virtu-ally no use can take place during the study. Schmitt asked Watt about the lack of knowledge of mineral potential of federal lands and if the UjS. Geologic Geolo-gic Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines would be given a larger role in making this determination. Watt replied that a larger role should be given to the private sector. Specifically, he discussed the December 31, 1983 date for withdrawal of wilderness lands from mineral exploration explor-ation and development stating stat-ing that the private sector must be given access to lands before this date or that the deadline must be extended. He also said the Interior Department will allocate its research and development funds toward production, with an increased emphasis on recovery of strategic and critical minerals. Also,the Bureau of Mines is preparing prepar-ing plans to improve mineral min-eral data systems. "A national strategic minerals min-erals policy involves not simply the establishment of emergency government action ac-tion in the face of a nonfuel minerals crisis such as war, market disruption, or price manipulation, but the adoption adop-tion of policies that protect American jobs and investments, invest-ments, improve our balance of trade, revitalize the nation's na-tion's economy, and provide for the security of foreign mineral imports," said James G. Watt, Secretary of Interior, this week at an oversight hearingby theSen-ate theSen-ate Subcommittee on Commerce, Com-merce, Science and Transportation. Trans-portation. Senator Schmitt (R-NM) chairman of the subcommittee, subcommit-tee, said the hearing represented rep-resented a starting point for this session of Congress to assess the nation's critical shortages of strategic materials mat-erials and minerals, and in particular the implications and effect of the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development De-velopment Act of 1980. Watt said he sees the Minerals Min-erals Policy Act as a Congressional Cong-ressional mandate to reorder re-order the process which has, in the past, frustrated the consideration of nonfuel minerals issues in the establishment es-tablishment of national priorities. pri-orities. He said he was personally person-ally committed to the goal of developing a strategic non-fuel non-fuel minerals policy so that the country's national security se-curity would be protected and the quality of life would be assured and enhanced. He maintained the Interior Department must be the amicus ami-cus for the nonfuel minerals miner-als industry in the court of Federal policy making not as a representative of private mining interest per se, but as a spokesman for the very real public interest inter-est involved in the protection protec-tion of a strong minerals sector. He maintains that it is vital that nonfuel minerals policy be assured of a fair hearing. 'Critical to that goal is coordinated policy making. With regard to public lands he called for an inventory of public land withdrawals as well as a new public lands policy that stresses multiple use. He indicated that the Department would propose legislation to release BLM lands being studied for wil-