Advanced Processing of Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals for Industrial and Manufacturing Applications | DE FOA 0002404

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002404

The Department of Energy, through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), released Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0002404 titled "Advanced Processing of Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals for Industrial and Manufacturing Applications." The program is aimed at supporting research and development that improves how the United States processes rare earth elements and other critical minerals into high-purity products suitable for industrial and manufacturing use. It is specifically focused on the "midstream" portion of the supply chain, meaning the steps that occur after raw material is obtained but before finished components are manufactured, where purification, separation, and conversion into usable metal forms often represent major technical and cost bottlenecks.

The core technical goal is to develop innovative processing technologies that can purify and recover rare earth elements and other critical minerals, separate them into individual elements, and then reduce them into high-purity metals. Projects may use feedstocks derived from coal, coal by-products, or alternative non-coal-based materials, reflecting an interest in expanding domestic sources beyond traditional ore bodies. The announcement emphasizes that proposed approaches should move beyond conventional commercial methods by offering meaningful improvements in performance and practicality, especially where current processing routes are expensive, complex, or environmentally challenging.

A central requirement is that the proposed separation, purification, and metal-reduction methods be environmentally benign and sustainable. In practical terms, this signals DOE interest in processes that reduce hazardous reagents, minimize waste streams, lower energy intensity, and simplify downstream treatment and disposal. The FOA also prioritizes technologies with credible potential to reduce both capital costs (equipment and plant build-out) and operating expenses (reagents, energy, maintenance, waste handling) compared to commercially available processing pathways. In other words, the program is not just looking for lab-scale novelty; it is looking for approaches that could realistically translate into more economical and scalable domestic processing capacity.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally means the government expects a higher level of involvement during the project than with a standard grant, often through technical reviews, milestones, and coordination with DOE staff. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding within the energy area and is associated with CFDA number 81.089. The FOA anticipated making about eight awards, with an award ceiling listed at $150,000, indicating relatively targeted project sizes intended to advance specific technical innovations or proofs of concept rather than large-scale plant construction.

Key administrative details include a creation date of January 15, 2021, and an original closing date of March 1, 2021. Eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the FOA's eligibility section, implying that multiple applicant types may be considered depending on the specific criteria stated in the full announcement. Overall, the opportunity is designed to accelerate practical, cleaner, and cheaper midstream processing solutions that can strengthen domestic supply chains for rare earth elements and critical minerals by turning diverse feedstocks into high-purity separated products and metals suitable for industrial and manufacturing applications.

• The Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advanced Processing of Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals for Industrial and Manufacturing Applications" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 15, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 01, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for DE FOA 0002404

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