# U.S. critical mineral production and investment > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-critical-mineral-production-and-investment > Updated: 2026-08-26T22:36:00.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 5. Efforts to strengthen the United States' domestic supply of critical minerals have seen both private sector restructuring and significant government investment. In the private sector, Dublin-based mining investor TechMet established a Washington, D.C.-based subsidiary to manage its holdings in four companies: EnergySource Minerals, U.S. Vanadium, Momentum Technologies, and Xerion Advanced Battery. CEO Brian Menell, serving as chairman of the new subsidiary, stated the entity aims to attract capital to transition these firms into commercial production for lithium, vanadium, and battery recycling. TechMet has invested over $400 million into these holdings. Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated significant funding to various projects. While $162 million was previously earmarked for recovering minerals like scandium and copper from waste, a more recent $500 million grant initiative aims to strengthen the domestic battery supply chain. Notable recipients include Coreshell, which received $50 million for metallurgical silicon anode material manufacturing; Lilac Solutions, awarded $100 million for a lithium carbonate facility at Utah’s Great Salt Lake; and Nth Cycle, which received $100 million to build a facility for refining materials from recycled lithium-ion batteries. These technologies support both the automotive industry and the defense sector, providing stability for applications such as drones and advanced aviation. Furthering domestic goals, American Battery Technology reported strong fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter results, including $8.2 million in revenue. The company secured a $57 million DOE grant following a successful appeal to support the construction of the first processing line at the Tonopah Flats lithium project in Nevada. Additionally, the DOE continues to support the CORE-CM project to convert coal mine waste and brines into minerals for electric vehicles. Expanding its research focus, the DOE recently awarded $10 million to seven research and development projects through the Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI Hub). ## Claims - The US Department of Energy awarded $10 million to seven projects to accelerate research and development for recovering and refining critical materials. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The funding is led by the Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI Hub). (corroborated by 2 sources) - Research focus areas include rare earth elements, gallium, and copper. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Three projects focus on extracting gallium from existing industrial streams such as bauxite-alumina processing and zinc refinery residues. (single source) - The Energy Act of 2020 defines critical minerals and critical materials based on supply chain risk and essential energy functions. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-26: US Department of Energy awards $10M for critical minerals R&D The US Department of Energy awarded $10 million to seven projects to advance R&D in refining critical minerals like gallium, copper, and rare earth elements to bolster domestic supply chains. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-department-of-energy-awards-10m-for-critical-minerals-rd ### 2026-08-22: U.S. Department of Energy awards $500 million to battery startups U.S. battery startups are finding new stability in the defense sector as the Department of Energy awards $500 million in grants to bolster domestic supply chains and national security. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-department-of-energy-awards-500-million-to-battery-startups ### 2026-08-20: American Battery Technology secures $57M DOE grant for lithium project American Battery Technology reports record profits and recovers a $57 million DOE grant for lithium processing in Nevada, as the U.S. expands efforts to recycle mining waste into critical minerals. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/american-battery-technology-secures-57m-doe-grant-for-lithium-project ### 2026-08-18: U.S. Department of Energy invests $162M in critical mineral recovery The U.S. Department of Energy is investing $162 million to recover critical minerals from mine waste, while startups like Phoenix Tailings scale zero-waste extraction of rare earth elements. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-department-of-energy-invests-162m-in-critical-mineral-recovery ### 2026-08-10: TechMet forms U.S. subsidiary to boost critical minerals production TechMet is forming a Washington, D.C.-based subsidiary to manage its $400 million investment in U.S. critical minerals, lithium, and battery recycling firms to drive domestic production. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/techmet-forms-us-subsidiary-to-boost-critical-minerals-production --- Cite as: U.S. critical mineral production and investment. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-critical-mineral-production-and-investment