WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government has proposed nearly 1 billion dollars in funding to accelerate the country's development of minerals and materials, the U.S. Department of Energy said Wednesday.
The funds are intended to strengthen mining, processing, and manufacturing technologies in the critical minerals and materials supply chains, the department said in a statement.
As much as 500 million dollars will be earmarked to expand U.S. critical minerals and materials processing and battery manufacturing and recycling, while up to 135 million dollars will be offered to support the country's supply chain for rare earth elements, said the department's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains.
The department's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management also plans to provide about 250 million dollars to facilities, including coal plants, and up to 50 million dollars to boost processes in the rare earth magnet supply chain, which is critical for semiconductors. ■
