The Department of Energy launched the PROSPECT initiative, committing $100 million to train workers across the critical minerals supply chain needed to secure U.S. energy and mineral independence, on Aug. 7.
The program targets workforce gaps in extraction, processing and refining of minerals used in advanced manufacturing, batteries and defense applications, according to DOE. Critical minerals including lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements and scandium are identified by federal agencies as strategic vulnerabilities.
The United States currently depends heavily on foreign sources — primarily China — for materials essential to both defense systems and the civilian economy. China controls an estimated 60% or more of global processing capacity for most critical minerals, creating supply chain risks that federal officials have characterized as a national security threat.
For American workers, the initiative creates training pathways into a sector that the administration has identified for rapid expansion. Jobs in critical minerals extraction and processing typically offer wages competitive with other industrial sectors.
The program is linked to the administration’s broader energy dominance and supply chain security agenda. Multiple federal agencies, including DOE and the Department of War, have identified critical minerals workforce development as a prerequisite for expanding domestic production.
Specific training program partners, universities and geographic focus areas were not detailed in the DOE release. The initiative’s structure, including whether funds will flow through grants, contracts or direct training programs, was also not specified.
The $100 million investment addresses one component of a supply chain challenge that extends from mining and processing through manufacturing and recycling.