DOE Critical Material Innovation, Efficiency, and Alternatives (DE-FOA-0003105)

Under BIL section 41003(c), DOE sought research, development, demonstration, and commercialization of innovative methods and technologies for efficient and sustainable supply of critical materials — next-generation extraction, processing, separation, and recycling from ore deposits, industrial waste, and recycled materials — with roughly $150 million in estimated program funding, a $30 million award ceiling, and cost sharing required. The FOA ran multiple area-of-interest rounds with several selection announcements; the most recent, on May 19, 2026, provided $45.7 million for 19 projects (2 pilot-scale processing projects and 17 technology-development projects), including USA Rare Earth's pilot-scale continuous ion exchange rare earth element production plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma, aimed at a domestic mine-to-magnet supply chain.

Facts on this page last re-verified Aug 11, 2026 — the oldest verification date among its current claims. How we verify.