The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking innovative approaches for the exploration and three-dimensional (3-D) characterization of critical mineral deposits in the subsurface. This RFI aims to gather ideas on new technologies, methodologies, and tools that could enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and speed of mineral exploration to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals.

The proposed focus areas for this potential program include enhanced data acquisition using advanced sensing techniques and improved 3-D modeling through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The agencies seek to develop synergistic technologies, combining new sensors and algorithms to accelerate exploration and improve subsurface imaging, with potential applications extending beyond mineral exploration to other geophysical challenges.

This initiative reflects the urgent need for reliable domestic supplies of critical minerals, essential for renewable energy technologies, electronics, batteries, and national defense applications. Current exploration processes are costly, time-consuming, and prone to uncertainties, with many prospects proving economically unviable. The U.S. has historically relied heavily on imported critical minerals, resulting in insufficient subsurface geological data and limited information on the upper layers of the Earth’s crust. Enhancing exploration methods is crucial to meet increasing demand, ensure economic feasibility, and reduce risks to supply chains.

The agencies are soliciting input from universities, businesses, research institutions, and government entities regarding transformative technologies not yet deployed in subsurface exploration. However, responses focusing solely on surface mineral deposits or those targeting non-critical resources are outside the scope of this inquiry. This RFI does not represent a funding opportunity, and no compensation will be provided for submitted information. The feedback will be used solely for program planning, and contributors should not include proprietary or confidential information in their submissions.

Responses must be submitted via email by November 4, 2024, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, following specific formatting guidelines. Interested parties are encouraged to address relevant technical areas, including advanced sensing methods, chemical characterization of rocks, and improvements in 3-D modeling. For example, potential responders may provide insights on novel sensors such as quantum sensing or muon detectors, automated mineralogical analysis, AI-driven modeling, and data fusion from multiple sources. Additionally, the agencies are interested in error estimation techniques and strategies to integrate geophysical and geochemical data into comprehensive 3-D models.

By engaging with a broad array of stakeholders, this RFI aims to facilitate the development of breakthrough technologies that could transform subsurface exploration, decrease exploration times, and increase success rates. The responses to this RFI will inform the future design of research programs that could drive innovations, enhance economic decision-making in mineral resource management, and strengthen U.S. strategic mineral independence.