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Federal Funding Boost for Critical Mineral Development
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated a substantial $45 million to fund six innovative projects aimed at establishing regional partnerships to expedite the development of supply chains for crucial minerals and materials, including novel non-fuel carbon-based products derived from secondary and unconventional feedstocks.
The Importance of Secondary Feedstocks
This investment recognizes the value inherent in secondary and unconventional feedstocks—such as coal, coal by-products, water produced during oil and gas extraction, and acid mine drainage. By tapping into these abundant American resources, the U.S. can effectively rebuild its domestic supply chains for critical minerals essential for a variety of sectors, ranging from clean energy technologies to national defense manufacturing.
A Commitment to National Security and Environmental Sustainability
“Establishing a self-sufficient domestic supply chain for critical minerals is imperative not only for our national security but also vital in fostering a sustainable industrial economy focused on clean energy,” stated Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the DOE. “Through collaborative regional initiatives funded by this investment, we will unlock our nation’s capacity to recover these essential resources while simultaneously generating high-paying jobs and promoting environmental sustainability across communities nationwide.”
Regional Projects with Diverse Collaboration
The chosen initiatives build upon DOE’s Carbon Ore, Rare Earths and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative by expanding focus beyond specific basins toward eight regions throughout the U.S.; they include collaboration among private enterprises; educational institutions; various government levels; community organizations; as well as Tribes. The aim is to devise strategies that enable each region to harness its economic potential related to critical minerals—comprising valuable non-fuel carbon-based outputs.
- University of Alaska Fairbanks: Working alongside geological surveys from Alaska , Oregon ,and Washington intends to explore uncharted mineral resource deposits in the Pacific Northwest.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Collaborating with geological entities across Michigan , Kentucky , Iowa , Indiana ,and Ohio seeks an economic rationale behind mining critical minerals from Upper Midwest coal sources.
- University of Texas at Austin: Plans include assessing resource opportunities within Gulf Coast areas relating specifically toward waste generated through petroleum operations along with other mining discards.
- University of Utah: Investigates potential value-added materials found associated with coal waste across rocky mountain terrains targeting relevant mineral depths.
- University Of Wyoming: Analyzes Great Plains’ ten-state region identifying processes beneficial leveraging unique local resources utilising alternatives describes above.
- Pennsylvania Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University : To spearhead consortium emphasizing academic exploration unconventionally charged towards extracting invaluable precious finds projected within Appalachian Mountains.”
Diverse Teamwork Under Effective Management
The selected initiatives will be supervised by DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), overseeing effective project management under FECM’s guidance. Detailed lists enumerating all chosen projects are accessible here—with additional selections anticipated in due course.
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