DOE’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation Announces $29.5 Million for National Laboratory Mining Projects
September 30, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) today selected 17 U.S. National Laboratory projects for $29.5 million in funding to accelerate the development of innovative technologies that expand and improve America’s domestic mining capabilities. In accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order, Unleashing American Energy, these projects will reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, bolster national security, and advance the technologies that will establish America’s long-term energy independence.
“Today’s investment is about unleashing the full innovative power of our National Laboratories,” said Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson. “These projects will advance President Trump’s effort to strengthen domestic mining, protect our supply chains, and ensure the United States leads the world in critical mineral technologies.”
The following National Laboratory projects have been selected for award negotiations:
| Laboratory |
Project focus and goal |
| Ames |
MICRO-vision: Sound, magnetism and imaging to break and sort rare-earth ores. |
| Argonne |
Induction leaching: Recover copper, nickel and cobalt from tailings. |
| Argonne |
Rotating-bed processing: Extract rare earths from coal ash and tailings; target 50% reductions in costs, chemicals and waste. |
| Idaho |
Electric-hydraulic fracturing: Improve underground permeability and mineral recovery. |
| Lawrence Berkeley |
NOREX: Nuclear sensing and AI for ore sorting. |
| Lawrence Berkeley |
SEOL: Electrochemically extract lithium from fractured clay. |
| Lawrence Berkeley |
VEIN: Monitor underground extraction and adjust operations. |
| Lawrence Livermore |
Microwave comminution: Weaken ore for processing. |
| Los Alamos |
Dense Sense: Fiber-optic monitoring of underground extraction. |
| Rockies |
Sulfide processing: Prevent coatings, improving recovery and reducing energy demand. |
| Oak Ridge |
Millimeter-wave drilling: Laser chemistry analysis guides exploration. |
| Oak Ridge |
MAP-POD: Robotic underground mapping and mineral identification. |
| Oak Ridge |
Beneficiation research: Study electrical, ultrasonic and fracturing responses. |
| Pacific Northwest |
SECURE-CM: Reshape formations for mineral extraction. |
| Sandia |
Tailings processing: Recover minerals and construction feedstocks. |
| Savannah River |
AI mapping: Analyze drill cores and map deposits. |
| SLAC |
Aging wells: Recover vanadium and other minerals. |
