Rosen Applauds Funding for University of Nevada, Reno Critical Mineral and Energy Innovation

RENO, NV – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen applauded the recent announcement that the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) will receive $1 million in federal funding to grow the workforce required to produce, process, recover, and recycle critical minerals in the United States. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation has chosen UNR as one of 16 universities across the country to receive this funding, which seeks to double the number of graduates with mining, minerals, and associated supply chain credentials across the United States within two years. Funding for this program was made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senator Rosen helped write and pass into law. 

“As the United States races with other global powers to acquire and leverage the critical minerals that power the modern economy, it is essential that we invest in and develop the skilled workforce needed to compete in today’s world,” said Senator Rosen. “I am thrilled that the University of Nevada, Reno is being recognized as one of the schools at the forefront of these efforts. Northern Nevada is one of the leading producers of critical minerals in the country, and a vital anchor for our domestic mineral supply chain. I’ll always work to make sure our state has the federal funding and support it needs to remain a key player in the race for critical minerals and American innovation.”

Senator Rosen has been a leader in supporting the critical mineral and rare earth industry, both domestically and abroad. Most recently, she helped introduce the Critical Mineral Executive Coordination Act and the bipartisan National Critical Minerals Council Act, which will create a more comprehensive domestic and global strategy in accessing critical minerals and addressing vulnerabilities in global critical mineral supply chains. Senator Rosen also introduced bipartisan legislation to bolster the American critical mineral mining workforce and support the growing industry through the creation of a mining Fulbright exchange program. In 2022, Senator Rosen helped pass the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act and secured a provision to grow the next generation of mining engineers, promote the use of critical minerals, and develop a secure and reliable supply chain. This led to nearly $21 million in federal funding for the Lithium Loop Tech Hub, a project led by the University of Nevada, Reno.

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