US Commits $73mn To Four Projects To Develop Next-Generation Mining Technologies

By Mintesinot Nigussie  |  September 10, 2026

The US Department of Energy has selected four projects to receive $73 million in funding to develop and test advanced mining technologies, as the Trump administration seeks to expand domestic mineral production and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

The funding, announced by the Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, will establish testing sites where new mining technologies can be evaluated under real-world conditions before commercial deployment.

The projects are part of the department’s Mine of the Future initiative, which aims to accelerate the development of technologies designed to improve mining safety, productivity, energy efficiency and supply-chain resilience.

“Investing in moving cutting-edge mining technologies out of the lab and into the field will help unleash America’s vast mineral resources,” said US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

“President Trump is committed to rebuilding America’s mining industry, reducing our dependence on foreign adversaries, and securing the critical minerals that are foundational to our energy, manufacturing, and national security.”

The four projects will establish testbeds across Virginia, West Virginia, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri and Texas.

Innovative Wireless Technologies, based in Lynchburg, Virginia, will receive funding to develop a national testbed combining underground and surface mining environments. The facility will be used to test digital connectivity, automation and other technologies aimed at improving mining operations.

The University of Arizona will establish an underground testbed in Sahuarita, Arizona, for testing mining, electrification and energy-management technologies. The project is intended to improve productivity and energy efficiency while reducing technical and operational risks associated with deploying new systems.

Curators of the University of Missouri will develop a multifunctional mining technology proving ground in Rolla, Missouri. The facility will combine underground technology testing with advanced research into comminution, the process of reducing mined material to smaller particles.

Southern Methodist University will establish a synthetic mine at an advanced drilling and sensing facility in Navasota, Texas. The project is designed to provide a controlled environment for testing mining tools, workflows and automated systems before they are deployed in operating mines.

Audrey Robertson, assistant secretary of energy, said the investments would help move mining technologies from laboratory research into field applications.

The department said the testbeds will also support research and development projects, provide hands-on training for workers and engineers, and help reduce the risks associated with commercial adoption of emerging mining technologies.

The initiative forms part of the administration’s wider effort to strengthen US access to critical minerals used in energy, manufacturing and national security applications.

Source: FSX Business News