Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown: Episode 70
Welcome to Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown, where we break down the latest news shaping the mining industry. As usual, we’re diving into a few major headlines that are striking the sector.
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First, The U.S. Department of Energy is opening the door for academic institutions to help address one of mining’s biggest challenges: developing the workforce needed to support the next generation of domestic mining and critical-minerals supply chains.
Through the PROSPECT Planning Prize, U.S.-based colleges and universities with eligible degree programs are being encouraged to submit plans designed to substantially increase the number of graduates and other credentialed professionals entering mining and related supply-chain careers over the next two years. The goal is to develop practical strategies that can quickly expand the pipeline of people prepared for careers throughout the mining and minerals sector. Applications are now open, with submissions due Oct. 5, 2026. Institutions interested in participating can find competition details, key dates and submission requirements on the PROSPECT Prize website.
Next, Missouri University of Science and Technology is part of a new $73 million U.S. Department of Energy initiative aimed at building what researchers call the “Mine of the Future.”
Missouri S&T will receive $16.3 million to develop a multi-functioning mining technology proving ground focused on improving energy efficiency and productivity. The facility will combine underground testing capabilities with advanced assessments of energy-intensive comminution — the process of breaking and grinding rock before mineral processing. The goal is to move promising technologies beyond the laboratory and into real-world mining environments, where researchers can validate their performance, identify practical challenges and help train the workforce needed to deploy them.
The DOE award also builds on a separate Commerce Department investment led by Missouri S&T to establish a pilot-scale critical-minerals processing and extraction test bed. Together, the projects position the university as a major center for developing and testing technologies designed to make future mining more productive and energy efficient.
Finally, The Trump administration is signaling that the United States could be just months away from approving permits for deep-sea mining, as Washington looks to expand access to critical minerals and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. Speaking at a G20 energy ministers meeting in Houston, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said discussions on permits are underway and that more developments could come in the coming weeks and months. The push centers on polymetallic nodules —potato-sized rocks found on the seafloor that contain minerals used in electronics, electric vehicles, defense systems and other technologies. U.S. officials see seabed resources as a potential source of additional critical-mineral supplies, particularly as China has tightened controls on exports of several minerals.
The potential move has drawn concern from environmental groups, which warn that deep-sea mining could cause significant and potentially irreversible damage to marine ecosystems.
For full details on these stories and more, visit our online magazine at me.smenet.org
