The US Department of Energy has announced a $1 billion investment in advancing mining and processing technologies for critical minerals essential to modern industry. This marks a significant shift in America’s energy priorities, from sustainability to security, as the administration seeks to secure domestic access to vital resources.
The funding is spread across five initiatives, focusing on lithium, nickel, rare earth elements, gallium, graphite, and other minerals necessary for semiconductors, magnets, and batteries. The emphasis on commercialization, cost-sharing, and industry partnerships suggests a focus on market-ready solutions rather than experimental projects.
While some argue that this shift makes sense in the face of great-power competition and supply chain security concerns, others warn that it may come at the expense of the climate agenda. Critical minerals are essential to clean energy technologies, but their extraction can have environmental costs.
The announcement highlights a philosophical difference in how industrial policy is justified, with the Trump administration framing investments as strategic necessities for national security rather than moral and economic imperatives to fight climate change. Companies in the critical minerals space must adapt quickly to this new landscape, while climate advocates seek to find ways to align national security and climate action.
The ultimate challenge is ensuring that securing critical minerals also secures a livable climate, recognizing that the planet’s resources are ultimately the foundation of our supply chains.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/phildeluna/2025/08/14/america-shifts-from-climate-to-security-with-1b-critical-minerals-push