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U.S. Department of Energy Launches $100 Million PROSPECT Push to Rebuild Critical-Minerals Workforce

Sep 29, 2026

3 minute read.

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Highlights

  • DOE's $100M PROSPECT initiative spans 14 institutions including West Virginia University to rebuild critical-minerals workforce
  • Mining engineering enrollment has fallen 45% since 2015, with 6,000+ engineers needed over the next decade
  • REEx warns that separation chemistry and metallurgical expertise are scarcer than mining engineers and harder to rebuild
  • Capital can build a separation plant in years; experienced technical teams can take a generation to develop
  • True success metrics are graduate job placement and retention in the supply chain, not federal dollars announced

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By Daniel

Inspired to launch Rare Earth Exchanges in part due to his lifelong passion for geology and mineralogy, and patriotism, to ensure America and free market economies develop their own rare earth and critical mineral supply chains.

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DOE's $100M PROSPECT program targets a 45% drop in mining enrollment, but REEx warns skilled processors and metallurgists are the real bottleneck. (read full article...)

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