WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy selected four projects for $73 million in funding to establish domestic mining-technology test sites, seeking to move new extraction and processing systems from laboratories into field-scale demonstrations and accelerate their commercial adoption.
The projects, selected for award negotiations through DOE’s Mine of the Future initiative, would establish testing grounds in West Virginia, Colorado, Virginia, Arizona, Missouri and Texas.
DOE’s Advanced Mining and Mineral Processing Technologies Office is overseeing the selections as part of an effort to expand domestic capabilities for producing critical minerals used in energy, manufacturing and national security applications.
“Investing in moving cutting-edge mining technologies out of the lab and into the field will help unleash America’s vast mineral resources,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated. He tied the investment to reducing U.S. reliance on foreign mineral supplies.
Innovative Wireless Technologies Inc., headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia, plans a national testbed spanning underground and surface mining environments in Julian, West Virginia; Idaho Springs, Colorado; and Blacksburg, Virginia.
The project would test digital, connectivity, and automation technologies under operating conditions, with a focus on mine safety, productivity, and supply-chain resilience.
The University of Arizona plans an underground testbed in Sahuarita, Arizona, for mining, electrification and energy-management technologies. DOE expects the site to support testing aimed at reducing technical and operational risks before commercial deployment.
The Curators of the University of Missouri will develop a mining technology proving ground in Rolla, Missouri, combining underground testing with advanced comminution research. The facilities are intended to support technology validation and workforce development.
Southern Methodist University plans to repurpose an instrumented drilling site in Navasota, Texas, to create a synthetic mine for repeatable testing of mining tools, automation systems and workflows.
The four projects are designed to address a gap between laboratory research and commercial mining operations by providing field-scale environments where technologies can be tested and demonstrated before wider adoption.
The sites are also expected to provide hands-on training for miners and engineers working with advanced mining systems.
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