Trump to announce $180 million to boost mining education

Key Points:

• President Trump plans to announce over $180 million in grants aimed at boosting educational and trade programs for the mining industry to increase critical mineral production.
• The announcement will take place at a State Department roundtable with educational leaders and officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
• The Department of Energy is launching a $100 million grant program to expand the mining and critical mineral workforce by supporting scholarships and programs at universities, community colleges, trade schools, and industry groups.
• The military is providing over $80 million in funding to three universities: $32.7 million to the Colorado School of Mines for a tech development hub, $25 million to the South Dakota School of Mines for workforce development, and $23.6 million to Johns Hopkins University for a recycling program.
• These initiatives aim to reduce U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals like lithium, silicon, graphite, and rare-earth elements, which are vital for semiconductors, aerospace, and other advanced technologies.