Department of Energy announces additional research projects to strengthen domestic supply chains.
Through its research agency ARPA-E, which specializes in developing innovative energy technologies, the U.S. Department of Energy aims to secure domestic raw material supplies and reduce dependence on imports. Up to $60 million in funding will be allocated to two programs. The first focuses on developing cost-effective technologies to evaluate critical mineral deposits much more quickly. The second program aims, among other things, to use artificial intelligence to create new magnetic materials that deliver double the performance while using fewer raw materials.
These initiatives build on previous departmental measures following the Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump in March to accelerate critical mineral projects. Recently, the Department of Energy announced nearly $1 billion in funding for technologies spanning mining, processing, manufacturing, and recycling of critical minerals and materials. Additionally, funds originally intended to support the domestic semiconductor industry could be redirected toward mineral projects. Headlines were also made in mid-July when the U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to become a shareholder in the country’s largest rare earth company.
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