Penn State mining program attends DOE announcement on mining education, workforce investment

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Leaders of Penn State's highly ranked mining engineering program attended an announcement at the White House of a proposed $100 million investment from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation.

In a press release issued Aug. 7, the DOE announced a notice of intent for up to $100 million “to strengthen America’s critical minerals workforce, supporting President Donald Trump’s agenda to restore U.S. energy dominance, rebuild domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign adversaries for the materials that power modern energy, manufacturing and defense technologies.”

Penn State, with a mining engineering program that dates back to 1890, is one of 14 ABET-accredited programs training the next generation of workers. The program, housed in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, is ranked second in the nation and sixth worldwide by QS World University rankings. The DOE has already invested millions of dollars in Penn State’s Center for Critical Minerals to address supply chain shortages.

The announcement is part of the nationwide Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies (PROSPECT) initiative designed to expand educational opportunities and develop the skilled workforce needed to support the domestic production, processing, recovery and recycling of critical minerals.

PROSPECT aims to double the number of graduates with degrees related to mining, minerals and associated supply chain technologies within two years, according to the release. The announcement was made during a summit of university leaders, including John Mauro, the interim John Leone Dean of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, and Barbara Arnold, undergraduate program chair of Penn State’s mining engineering program. Undergraduate mining engineering student Parker Mokry also attended.

“Rebuilding America’s critical minerals supply chain is a monumental task that starts with education,” Mauro said. “Penn State has been at the forefront of mining engineering for more than 135 years, and today, our program stands as a global leader in the field. A federal investment would allow us to open doors for more students, providing them with the world-class training they need to step into high-demand careers and solve some of our nation’s most critical supply chain vulnerabilities.”

The DOE estimates the U.S. will need approximately 6,000 new engineers in the mining sector over the next 10 years, in addition to workers in materials science, processing and recycling. The proposed funding will help to address these workforce gaps by supporting scholarships, financial assistance and other initiatives that strengthen higher education programs focused on critical minerals and related technologies.

“A strong domestic mining and minerals workforce is essential to powering America’s future, strengthening our national security and ending our dependence on foreign adversaries for the materials that underpin modern energy, manufacturing and defense,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright in the release. “Through the PROSPECT initiative, the department is investing in the next generation of American engineers, scientists and skilled workers who will help unleash American energy and ensure the United States remains the world’s leading energy powerhouse.”

Critical minerals are essential for modern technology, clean energy systems, national security and the economy. They’re labeled “critical” because their supply chains are vulnerable to disruption.

Arnold, who testified to members of Congress in 2024 about the severe labor shortages, said Penn State’s long-standing expertise in both traditional mining and critical minerals recovery can provide the mining and mineral processing engineers to address the nation’s critical minerals challenges.

“Onshoring the mining and processing of critical minerals increases greatly the need for mining and mineral processing engineers to provide the minerals for communication, defense and other strategic technologies,” Arnold said. “We’re ready to meet this challenge with our outstanding faculty ready to lead the charge. The proposed funding would make these opportunities more affordable for the next generation of students.”