The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) has signed memorandums of understanding with the Colorado School of Mines and the University of Utah to enhance the United States’ critical minerals capacity. This collaboration aims to bolster the nation’s energy and material supply chains through innovation, commercialization, and skilled workforce development.
NLR Director Jud Virden said, “Stewarded by DOE’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, NLR’s mission is to help build our nation’s critical minerals capacity, bringing together partners to scale up and de-risk the technologies we need for stronger supply chains and greater energy security.”
The agreements were announced on May 4, ahead of NLR’s annual Partner Forum in Golden, Colorado, which brings together stakeholders from various sectors to address challenges in the energy domain. This year’s forum is focused on creating resilient critical mineral supply chains.
The MOUs will facilitate integrated research and facility sharing between the involved institutions, advancing the scalability of critical minerals innovations and workforce training. NLR and the Colorado School of Mines will establish new facilities that are set to enhance critical minerals research in Colorado. Specifically, NLR’s new facility will help accelerate the development of energy materials, while the Colorado School of Mines’ facility will support advancements across the critical minerals value chain.
Colorado School of Mines President Paul C. Johnson said, “This agreement reflects what makes Colorado School of Mines distinctive—our ability to bring together applied research, industry and government partnerships, and workforce development in ways that move technologies from concept to impact.”
The partnership with the University of Utah will focus on research and technology in critical minerals using advanced tools such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and data science. The collaboration will also aim to stimulate education and workforce development through academic programs and internships.
University of Utah President Taylor Randall said, “This partnership comes at a pivotal moment, when strengthening the nation’s energy resilience is more important than ever.”
This initiative underscores NLR’s ongoing efforts to foster collaborations that leverage academic strengths to address significant scientific challenges in critical minerals and energy sectors.
The primary source was https://www.nlr.gov/news/detail/program/2026/nlr-partners-with-colorado-school-of-mines-and-university-of-utah-to-scale-up-us-critical-minerals-capacity.
