WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Labor is making $10.5 million available to states, tribes, and territories for mine safety training programs, funding aimed at reducing workplace injuries while supporting a mining sector expected to play a larger role in domestic mineral production.
The funding will be distributed through the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s fiscal year 2026 State Grants Program, which supports federally required training and retraining for miners working at surface and underground coal mines, as well as metal and non-metal mining operations nationwide.
The investment comes as the Trump administration seeks to expand domestic production of critical minerals and other mining resources while maintaining workplace safety standards across the industry.
Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling pointed to recent safety performance in the mining sector while announcing the funding opportunity.
“Through our ongoing commitment to safety training, we achieved a historically low all-injury rate for mining last year,” Sonderling said. “This latest investment demonstrates that we’re doubling down on our efforts to protect our nation’s hardworking miners.”
Under the program, MSHA may fund up to 80% of eligible training costs, with grant recipients required to provide at least 20% of total program expenses.
The agency said it encourages grant recipients to prioritize training for new miners and small mining operations, which often have fewer resources available for safety and compliance programs.
MSHA is also recommending that state training programs develop compliance assistance initiatives for operators involved in the extraction of critical minerals, including coal, aligning safety efforts with broader federal goals to increase domestic mineral production.
In addition to operational safety training, the agency emphasized instruction related to miners’ rights under the Mine Safety and Health Act.
Applications for the 2026 State Grants Program are due Aug. 10, 2026. MSHA expects to award grants on or before Sept. 30, 2026.
Information about the funding opportunity is available at https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/362729.
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