July 21, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a framework to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, advanced sensors, and other emerging technologies across the nation’s mining sector.

The five-year agreement strengthens federal coordination to advance mining innovation while improving worker safety, increasing productivity, and supporting the secure domestic production of critical minerals. By combining DOE’s expertise in energy technologies and resource recovery with DOL’s longstanding leadership in mine safety, the partnership advances the Trump Administration’s commitment to strengthen critical mineral supply chains, support high-paying American jobs, and unleash American energy dominance.

“America’s security and economic future depend on developing a strong domestic mining sector,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “By pairing the Energy Department’s technical expertise with the Labor Department’s leadership on mine safety, we can support American miners, secure domestic supply chains, and put cutting-edge technology to work for the people who power our nation.”

“Today’s agreement ensures that the Department of Labor and the Department of Energy will work side by side to prepare the mining workforce, advance mining technology, and support the safe production of the coal that powers America’s future,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “It is our commitment to you that this MOU will further President Trump’s promise to restore coal as a key driver of America’s energy supply chain and American coal will again be the envy of the world for generations to come.”

Under the agreement, DOE’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) and Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) will collaborate closely with DOL’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to share non-proprietary data, research, and technical expertise that supports the deployment of next-generation mining technologies.

The partnership will focus on:

• Fostering Collaborative Research and Development: Conducting joint research, testing, and demonstration projects involving AI, automation, advanced sensors, and other technologies that improve mining operations.

• Leveraging Federal Expertise: Working with multidisciplinary teams at DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory Coal Center of Excellence to accelerate technology development and deployment.

• Improving Mine Safety: Applying advanced technologies to strengthen hazard detection, reduce mining accidents, and enhance emergency preparedness and response.

• Facilitating Workforce Development: Identifying future workforce needs and supporting education and training opportunities that equip miners with the skills needed for increasingly technology-driven operations.

• Enhancing Data Access and Digitization: Working with stakeholders to digitize legacy mining data and improve public datasets that support characterization of domestic mineral resources, including on federally managed lands.

Read the full Memorandum of Understanding here.