Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) Studies for Production of Critical Minerals and Materials from Coal-Based Resources

Federal Agency

Sub-Department

Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM)

Purpose

To help build facilities that produce rare earth elements and other critical minerals and materials from domestic coal-based resources.

Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements

Topic Area 1: FEED Study Based on AACE Class 3 Cost Estimate Targeting an Intermediate Scale Facility (on the order of 30-100 t MREO/MRES per year) Topic Area 2: FEED Study Based on AACE Class 3 Cost Estimate Targeting a Demonstration Scale Facility (1-3 t MREO/MRES per day)

Decarbonization Considerations

From the FOA: "The Facility, in whole, will be designed to operate in an environmentally benign manner, being compliant with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations with respect to emissions, waste treatment, and disposal."

Equity Considerations

See the "Equity Design Considerations for Federal Funding" for general considerations and additional sector-based resources: https://cityrenewables.org/resources/equity-design-considerations-for-federal-funding/

Helpful Tips

The funding opportunity announcement seeks to tap this unconventional resource to help build a domestic supply chain critical to the U.S. economy, clean energy, and national security. The program funds research, development, and demonstration projects that support the development of intermediate- and/or demonstration-scale facilities for domestic production and refining of rare earth elements and other critical minerals across the country.

Other Notes

Eligible applicants include individuals, institutions of higher education, for-profit entities, non-profit entities, state and local government entities, and tribal nations. See list of awardees here: https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-invests-17-million-strengthen-nations-critical-minerals-supply