Critical minerals and rare earths are essential for developing technology-based applications in the energy and defense sectors, plus everyday items such as smartphones, tablets, and microwaves. The Trump administration has sought to reduce U.S. reliance on critical minerals from other countries like China due to national security concerns. 

The selected companies include Anactisis, Still Bright, Nusano, SiTration, Thompson Creek Metals Company, Felix Gold, DISA Technologies, Alcoa Corporation, and Trigg Minerals.

Most of these companies are pursuing unconventional streams as sources of critical minerals.

“We are taking something that was previously discarded and had to be managed, and turning it into a process where we can extract valuable resources,” Robertson said. 

For instance, Felix Gold’s Treasure Creek is an antimony project near Fairbanks, Alaska, focused on extracting high-grade, near-surface antimony. Robertson noted that the company currently operates a gold mine, and the funding would support efforts to innovate its antimony extraction process by using existing resources and infrastructure at the mine.

Antimony is a critical material for the defense sector, where it is used in ammunition, sensors, flame retardants, and a range of other applications.

Another company that has received funding is SiTration, which is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology spinout that created a technology to recover copper and other critical and rare earth materials from diluted mining waste streams at existing mining sites. 

Robertson said the funding is focused on “how do we extract these critical minerals from existing feedstocks.” She added that some companies are seeking to recover minerals and materials from old tailings, abandoned copper mines, existing aluminum facilities, and other sources.

The funding announcement is part of the DOE initiative to provide up to $275 million in funding for companies with the capabilities to produce minerals from existing industrial and coal byproducts. The department in July announced $75 million to five projects that use coal and coal-based feedstocks to produce rare earth elements and other critical materials.

China has dominated the critical mineral industry for decades. Officials have raised fears that China’s influence over the supply chain could harm national security. China has also threatened to cut off access to minerals as part of trade talks.

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The administration has taken a number of steps to boost the domestic critical mineral and rare earth industry, including taking direct stakes in critical mineral companies. The administration has also created international partnerships and established a critical mineral stockpile. 

Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced funding opportunities to expand mining education as part of an effort to grow the sector’s workforce.