Building Up Domestic Supply Chain for Critical Minerals

author: FutureCar Staff    

Funding from President Biden's Investing in America Agenda will have a positive impact on various aspects of the country. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that up to $30 million will be allocated to lower the costs of onshore production of rare earths and other critical minerals and materials from domestic coal-based resources. This funding, provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to meet the increasing demand for critical minerals within the United States while reducing reliance on offshore supplies.

Rare earths and other critical minerals play a crucial role in the manufacturing of clean energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cells. By extracting these materials from coal, coal waste, and associated by-products, the country can create job opportunities in communities that have traditionally relied on fossil energy resources for fuel and electric power. This initiative aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to revitalizing energy communities and ensuring equitable access to benefits through the Justice40 Initiative.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm emphasizes the significance of President Biden's Investing in America agenda in rebuilding the country's manufacturing sector. The agenda enhances the ability to produce critical minerals necessary for the development of clean energy technologies. By reducing reliance on foreign supply chains, these investments create high-quality jobs in communities that have been instrumental in powering the nation for generations.

The United States currently imports over 80% of its rare earth demand from non-domestic suppliers. However, rare earth elements are naturally occurring resources found within the country, including in domestic coal and coal wastes. To tap into this unconventional resource and build a domestic supply chain critical to the economy, clean energy, and national security, the DOE has released a funding opportunity announcement. This program will support research for laboratory and bench-scale testing of economically viable, environmentally friendly extraction, separation, and refining technologies. The initial focus will be on unconventional coal-based resources, with the aim of producing rare earths and critical minerals for use in clean energy, national defense, and commercial commodity products and equipment.

Source: Company Press Release

FutureCar Staff