US proposes nearly $1 billion in funds for critical minerals, materials
The department intends to offer funding to advance and scale up mining, processing and manufacturing technologies in the critical minerals and materials supply chains, sectors that have been dominated by China and other countries, the statement said.
"For too long, the United States has relied on foreign actors to supply and process the critical materials that are essential to modern life and our national security," said Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
The department said the move is aligned with President Donald Trump's executive order on maximizing energy development.
The department's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) intends to offer up to $500 million in funding to expand U.S. critical minerals and materials processing and battery manufacturing and recycling.
MESC also intends to offer up to $135 million in funding to support the domestic supply chain for rare earth elements, by demonstrating the commercial viability of methods to refine and recover the minerals from mining tailings.
The department's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management also intends to announce about $250 million in financial assistance for plants, including coal facilities, that have the potential to produce mineral byproducts from industrial processes.
Other funding includes up to $50 million to support processes in the rare earth magnet supply chain, such as refining and alloying gallium, germanium and silicon carbide for use in semiconductors.
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The Guardian
21 minutes ago
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Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. 'From floods to winter storms, we count on our Guard on in a crisis,' the group said. 'They should be home, ready to respond—not on a political policing mission.' Since arriving in Washington last week, about 800 national guard troops under Trump's direct control have served as a visible presence in public areas, assigned to administrative and logistical duties as well as 'area beautification' work, according to the Wall Street Journal. Defense officials had said they would not be carrying weapons but 'weapons are available if needed but will remain in the armory,' the US army said in a press release. A US official told Reuters that a formal order authorizing the national guard troops to carry firearms would be issued but it would largely affect military police officers with sidearms. The White House also said on Saturday that national guard in DC are conducting patrols on foot and in vehicles around the national mall and Union Station, adding that the troops are not making arrests at this time. Trump has indicated that he may take similar actions in other Democratic-controlled cities. A federal judge in San Francisco is expected in the coming weeks to issue a ruling on whether Trump violated the law by deploying national guard troops to Los Angeles in June without the approval of California's governor, Gavin Newsom. Typically the national guard is deployed only instances where a state governor requests it. However the DC national guard reports directly to the president.
