The U.S. Department of Energy announced $45 million in federal funding for six projects on January 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management awarded the funds to establish regional consortia aimed at accelerating the development of domestic critical mineral and materials supply chains. The selected projects will operate under the management of the National Energy Technology Laboratory.
What it means
The funding expands the Department’s Carbon Ore, Rare Earth and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative from a basin-scale focus to cover eight regions across the United States. According to Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, rebuilding a domestic supply chain for critical minerals will safeguard national security and support the development of a clean energy and industrial economy. He stated that the collaborative regional projects are intended to realize the nation’s potential for resource recovery while creating high-wage jobs and delivering environmental benefits.
The six selected projects target novel nonfuel carbon-based products derived from secondary and unconventional feedstocks, including coal by-products, effluent waters from oil and gas development, and acid mine drainage. The University of Alaska Fairbanks will partner with geological surveys in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington to map underexplored mineral deposits in the Northwest. In the Upper Midwest, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will work with surveys in Michigan, Kentucky, Iowa, Indiana, and Ohio to extract minerals from coal wastes. The University of Texas at Austin will assess resource potential in the Gulf Coast and Permian Basin using petroleum industry waste and produced water. The University of Utah will evaluate materials in the Rocky Mountain region, while the University of Wyoming will assess ten states and four basins in the Great Plains and Interior Highlands. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will lead a consortium focusing on the Appalachian Mountain region. The Department noted that additional selections may be made at a later date.
Key facts
- $45 million total federal funding announced by DOE/FECM
- Six projects selected to create regional consortia
- Projects expand CORE-CM Initiative coverage to eight U.S. regions
- National Energy Technology Laboratory will manage the projects
- University of Alaska Fairbanks partners with three state geological surveys (Alaska, Oregon, Washington)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign partners with five state geological surveys (Michigan, Kentucky, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio)
- University of Wyoming assesses ten states and four basins in the Great Plains and Interior Highlands
- Feedstocks include coal by-products, oil and gas effluent waters, and acid mine drainage
Source: U.S. Department of Energy news release (energy.gov)