The US Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) will award up to $134 million to projects establishing domestic supply chains for rare earth elements (REEs).

The funding will support projects that demonstrate the commercial viability of recovering and refining REEs from unconventional feedstocks including mine tailings, e-waste and other waste materials, the DOE said.

By investing in domestic REE recovery and processing, DOE aims to secure US energy independence, strengthen economic competitiveness and ensure long-term resilience in the supply chains for advanced manufacturing, defense systems and high-performance magnets used in power generation and electric motors.

“For too long, the United States has relied on foreign nations for the minerals and materials that power our economy,” said Chris Wright, US Secretary of Energy. “We have these resources here at home, but years of complacency ceded America’s mining and industrial base to other nations.”

Source: US Department of Energy