The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a nearly $1 billion programme to strengthen America’s supply of critical minerals and materials.

The funding will support mining, processing, and manufacturing within the country, which are essential for clean energy technologies and national security, reported Carbon Credits.

The plan targets key minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements, which are essential for electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, solar panels, and advanced electronics used in defence systems.

The funding is split across several areas, including $500 million for battery material processing, $250 million for mineral by-products production, $135 million for rare earth element production, $50 million for refining materials, and $40 million through ARPA-E’s RECOVER programme.

The plan aims to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and encourage public-private partnerships to scale production faster.

Chris Wright, US Secretary of Energy, remarked: "For too long, the US has relied on foreign actors to supply and process the critical materials that are essential to modern life and our national security. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the Energy Department will play a leading role in reshoring the processing of critical materials and expanding our domestic supply of these indispensable resources."