DOE Launches Funding Opportunity for Critical Minerals and Materials
Includes Funding for Projects to Advance Lithium Extraction and Expand the Range of Geothermal Brine Sources.
Geothermal Technologies Office
April 7, 2026
Overview
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) and Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) have announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) of up to $69 million for technologies or processes that advance the domestic production and refining of critical materials.
The NOFO, which is part of DOE’s Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator Program and jointly funded by CMEI's Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) and HGEO's Office of Geothermal (OG), includes three topic areas. Topic Area 3 focuses on methods to extract, separate, and process lithium from geothermal brine and clay sources; pre- and post-processing capabilities to ensure cost-effective lithium extraction; and exploration of critical materials and rare earth elements from geothermal resources. OG is funding Topics 3A and 3B, which focus on mineral extraction combined with geothermal energy.
DOE is seeking projects that bridge the gap between bench-scale innovations and commercially viable technologies. Selected project teams from Topic Areas 1, 2, and 3A will form industry-led partnerships and conduct research and development with support from the U.S. national laboratories. Project teams for Topics 3B and 3C can be led by industry or a U.S. national laboratory.
Letters of Intent are due April 24, 2026. Deadlines for full applications will be staggered based on topic area. Applications for Topic Area 3 are due July 23, 2026.
More details on sub-topics and deadlines can be found on the NOFO landing page. View the slides and transcript from the informational webinar hosted on April 16 on Exchange.
Learn more about OG’s lithium research and DOE’s Critical Materials Collaborative, which includes the Critical Materials Accelerator.