This bill would have the Secretary of Energy set up a competitive grant program to strengthen domestic mining education. The Department of Energy (DOE), working with the Interior Department's US Geological Survey, would award up to 10 technology grants each year to "mining schools." The law defines which programs count as mining schools and what counts as the mining industry and mining profession. Grant funds must be used to recruit students and to support education and training in mining-related areas, including critical minerals and rare earth element work, reclamation and acid mine drainage solutions, recycling and reprocessing of minerals, extraction and processing technologies, and reducing environmental impacts of mining. The bill creates a six-member Mining Professional Development Advisory Board to review applications and recommend awards, requires the Secretary to publish statements when rejecting board recommendations, and authorizes $10,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2026–2033 to carry out the program. The bill also repeals the Mining and Mineral Resources Institutes Act (30 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.).
The bill states its purpose is to recruit and educate the next generation of mining engineers and other qualified professionals to meet the future energy and mineral needs of the United States and to strengthen domestic mining education. It also lists focused areas for program support, such as critical mineral exploration, reclamation technology, recycling, and reducing environmental impacts.
No publicly available information.