U.S. Department of Energy Launches Mine of the Future Initiatives to Bolster the U.S. Mining Industry

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) today announced two new programs under its Mine of the Future initiative, which aims to transform U.S. mining practices and speed the development of a secure and resilient domestic critical mineral and material supply chain by employing cutting-edge mining technologies and processes. First, FE has announced its intent to provide up to $80 million in federal funding for mining technology proving grounds that will support and accelerate innovative technology development and commercialization. FE also announced up to $15 million in federal funding for DOE’s National Laboratories to conduct critical research, development, and demonstration activities that will advance DOE strategies to strengthen our domestic critical mineral supply chain. Through both programs, the Mine of the Future initiative will help deliver on President Trump’s commitment to expand the nation’s critical materials portfolio, reduce our reliance on foreign sources, and re-establish the United States as a global leader in the mining sector. 

“DOE is committed to fostering a new generation of skilled miners and equipping them with the tools to lead the world in mineral production and processing technology,” said Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy, Kyle Haustveit. “Through these new Mine of the Future programs, DOE is making a significant investment to accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge solutions for the U.S. mining sector.”

Notice of Intent: Mining Technology Proving Grounds 

FE announced its intent to issue an $80 million funding opportunity to establish Mining Technology Proving Grounds and accelerate the development of innovative technologies for the U.S. mining sector. If issued, the funding opportunity will help establish field sites for real-world testing, optimization, and deployment of next-generation mining technologies. These sites will also serve as vital training grounds for a new generation of skilled American miners.

The Proving Ground initiative will help to de-risk the adoption of new mining technologies for commercialization and widespread industry adoption. This will be achieved through:

• Development of Mine Technology Proving Grounds that enable the development, demonstration, and maturation of advanced mining technologies at a large scale for deployment at domestic mine sites.
• Accelerated Research & Development Projects for up to two signature mining technologies to be developed and proven at their proposed proving ground facility.
• Collaborative Partnerships between government, industry/private sector, and academia, leveraging diverse expertise, infrastructure, and support for technology.

To prepare for the release of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), prospective applicants are encouraged to read the full Notice of Intent.  DOE expects to issue the NOFO during the fourth quarter of calendar year 2025. 

National Laboratory Call for Proposals: Mine of the Future Research, Development, and Demonstration 

Under its Mine of the Future Research, Development, and Demonstration initiative, FE announced up to $15 million in federal funding available to DOE’s National Laboratories for technologies capable of revolutionizing the mining industry. Selected laboratory performers will advance DOE’s critical minerals and materials supply chain strategies through activities that will bridge the gap between bench-scale research and commercial scale demonstration.

The lab call solicits proposals for the following topic areas:

• Mining Innovation, focusing on developing technologies capable of innovating and modernizing the critical mineral mining industry to develop better, novel mining techniques for mining conventional ores that contain critical minerals.
• Beneficiation, focusing on developing novel beneficiation technologies that can preconcentrate at the mine site along with novel separation techniques to enhance efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and improve resource recovery.
• In-situ, focusing on in-situ extraction and recovery of critical minerals using technologies that emphasize advanced technological integration with a strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

All questions and application materials must be submitted to LabCall-FECM-HQ@hq.doe.gov. Letters of intent are due by October 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM ET and full applications are due by January 27, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.

FE’s Division of Minerals Sustainability focuses on the production and processing of critical minerals, developing an economically sustainable and secure domestic supply chain, and conducting technology innovations on new advanced mining technologies.