Mining Schools Act of 2025

The "Technology Grants to Strengthen Domestic Mining Education Act of 2025" establishes a new program within the Department of Energy to bolster the nation's mining education infrastructure. This program, overseen by the Secretary of Energy, will award competitive grants to eligible mining schools. The primary goal is to recruit and educate the next generation of skilled mining engineers and professionals, ensuring the United States can meet its future energy and mineral needs. Grants, limited to ten per year, will be distributed with an emphasis on geographic diversity to foster region-specific expertise. Recipient mining schools must utilize these funds to attract students and enhance programs covering a broad range of topics. These include critical mineral and rare earth element exploration, extraction, and refining , advanced reclamation technologies, and environmentally conscious mining practices. Funds can also support research into mineral extraction efficiency, reprocessing systems for abandoned mines, and reducing dependence on foreign mineral supplies. To guide the grant selection process, the bill establishes a six-member Mining Professional Development Advisory Board , composed of experts from the mining industry and academia. This Board will evaluate grant applications and recommend recipients and funding amounts to the Secretary, who must publicly justify any rejections. The bill also repeals the existing Mining and Mineral Resources Research Institute Act of 1984, consolidating efforts under this new framework, with all activities subject to the availability of appropriations.