Virginia Tech Convenes Rare Earth Leaders October 9 - Workshop Targets America's Talent and Technology Gaps

Highlights

• Virginia Tech hosts a working session October 9, 2026, in Alexandria, Virginia, focused on closing America's rare earth workforce and research gaps.
• The university has led 64+ federally sponsored REE projects totaling over $32 million and trains roughly one-quarter of U.S. mining and minerals engineers.
• The U.S. graduates only about 200 mining and minerals engineers annually compared to more than 10,000 in China, highlighting a critical talent deficit.
• Expected workshop outputs include a talent-gap map, industry-aligned research priorities, and recommended collaboration models for rare earth supply chains.
• REEx co-founder Dustin Olsen will attend, alongside Critical Minerals Institute co-chair Jack Lifton and DOE mining technology director Burt Thomas.