The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced plans to issue funding opportunities totalling nearly $1bn to enhance mining, processing and manufacturing technologies essential for critical minerals and materials supply chains.
This initiative aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order to reinforce US energy, security and industrial competitiveness.
The proposed funding opportunities include the Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator programme, which is expected to release a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) of up to $50m.
This programme aims to advance technology development that can attract capital investment and promote domestic commercialisation.
Focus areas include the rare-earth magnet supply chain, semiconductor materials, lithium extraction and critical-material separation technologies for byproduct utilisation.
The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management is also set to issue an NOFO supporting approximately $250m for US industrial facilities to produce mineral byproducts from existing processes.
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By GlobalDataThis initiative targets the broader industry, and specifically the coal-based industry, aiming to pilot technologies at an industrial scale to mitigate technical and financial risks.
US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said: “For too long, the United States has relied on foreign actors to supply and process the critical materials that are essential to modern life and our national security.
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the Energy Department will play a leading role in reshoring the processing of critical materials and expanding our domestic supply of these indispensable resources.”
Furthermore, the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) plans to issue an NOFO of up to $135m to strengthen domestic supply chains for rare earth elements (REEs).
This project will focus on demonstrating the commercial viability of refining and recovering REEs from various sources such as mine tailings and waste streams within the US, requiring academic partnership and at least a 50% cost-share by recipients.
In addition, the MESC intends to issue an NOFO of up to $500m to expand critical mineral and materials processing, as well as battery manufacturing and recycling.
This funding will support facilities that process, recycle or use critical materials for manufacturing, including traditional battery minerals and other commercially important minerals. The recipient is required to hold a cost-share of at least 50% to be awarded the funding.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy is also preparing to announce selections for its $40m programme targeting the recovery of critical minerals from industrial wastewater.
In related news, the US has imposed sanctions on a Congolese militia group, a mining company and two Hong Kong-based exporters due to their alleged involvement in the illicit trade of critical minerals.
These sanctions are part of the administration’s efforts to establish peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been disrupted by violence from the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
