Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown: Episode 69

First, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation has selected four projects for $73 million in funding through its Mine of the Future initiative. The projects will establish domestic testing grounds for mining technologies, giving researchers and industry a place to test new systems under real-world conditions before commercial deployment. The projects will cover underground and surface mining, electrification, energy management, automation, drilling and mineral processing. The University of Arizona will develop an underground testbed in Sahuarita, while the University of Missouri will establish a mining technology and comminution research facility in Rolla. Southern Methodist University will develop a synthetic mine at a drilling and sensing facility in Texas, and Innovative Wireless Technologies will establish a testbed spanning mining sites in West Virginia, Colorado and Virginia. DOE said the projects will help move technologies from laboratory research into field testing, reduce the risks associated with commercial adoption and provide hands-on training for workers.

Next, according to Reuters, several Chinese rare earth suppliers have stopped or declined shipments to U.S. customers as companies worry about potential repercussions from Beijing. The suppliers are concerned that complying with U.S.-linked mineral supply chain due diligence requirements could expose them to sanctions from China. The issue comes as U.S. officials continue pressing Beijing to uphold commitments on rare earth exports and ahead of President Xi Jinping’s expected September 24 visit to Washington. Several companies have also faced lengthy waits for export licenses, with some U.S. buyers waiting more than six months for approvals. Exports of many rare earths and related magnets have recovered since China imposed restrictions in April 2025, but supplies of materials including yttrium, indium phosphide and tungsten remain tight, with prices near record highs. U.S. imports of yttrium have increased this year, but remain roughly half their 2024 levels. China shipped 27 tons of yttrium to the United States in July after a two-month gap, while several U.S. companies have recently received multiple licenses after long delays.

Finally, a Brazilian judge has ordered the suspension of environmental licenses and mining activities at Sigma Lithium’s Grota do Cirilo mine in Minas Gerais, according to a court document reviewed by Reuters. The ruling came in a civil case brought by the Federation of Quilombola Communities of Minas Gerais, which argued that the mine falls within the area of influence of the Bau Quilombola community. Quilombolas are traditional communities formed by descendants of Africans who escaped slavery, and their territories receive additional legal protections when development projects could affect them. Judge Antonio Lucio Tulio de Oliveira Barbosa said there was sufficient evidence that the Bau territory fell within the mine’s area of influence, triggering requirements including free, prior and informed consultation with the community. The judge cited blasting and earthmoving at the mine and studies placing the territory about 2.7 kilometers from the project’s directly affected area. Sigma has disputed that the mine falls within the impact zone. The court ordered an independent georeferencing review to establish the distance and imposed a fine if the company continues operations.

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