1. $17.5 million funding from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda for projects to develop sustainable production processes and create jobs nationwide
2. Four selected projects will focus on advanced processing of rare earth elements and critical minerals for industrial and manufacturing applications
3. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory managing selected projects with focus on community benefits and support for critical minerals exploration and production efforts
The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced $17.5 million in funding for four projects as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These projects will focus on developing more affordable and sustainable production processes for rare earths and critical minerals from coal and coal by-products. The goal is to reduce environmental impacts and create good-paying jobs in the US. The projects are funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and aim to decrease the nation’s reliance on foreign supply chains for critical minerals needed in clean energy technologies.
The selected projects will involve advanced processing of rare earth elements and critical minerals to make them economically viable and help remediate legacy mining and energy wastes. By utilizing secondary and unconventional coal-based resources, the projects will contribute to building a domestic supply chain critical to the US economy, clean energy, and national security. The DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory will manage the selected projects, with a focus on community engagement and tangible benefits to the areas where the projects are located.
In addition to these projects, the FECM has committed funding for various initiatives supporting critical minerals and materials exploration, production, and processing in traditional mining and fossil fuel-producing communities. The FECM aims to reduce environmental and climate impacts while working towards achieving net-zero emissions across the US economy. To learn more about these initiatives, visit the FECM website and stay updated on news announcements.