Reliable Ore Characterization with Keystone Sensing (ROCKS)
This grant supports the development of advanced sensing tools to quickly and accurately assess ore deposits for critical minerals, aiming to accelerate and improve domestic mineral resource evaluation and supply chains.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has archived this opportunity.
Funder: Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E)
Due Dates: August 25, 2025 (NOFO posted) | September 25, 2025, 9:30 AM ET (Concept Paper) | October 30, 2025 (Encourage/Discourage) | December 8, 2025, 9:30 AM ET (Full Application)
Funding Amounts: $2M–$5M per award; approx. $40M total across 10–12 awards (shared with companion SBIR/STTR NOFO); up to 3 years.
Summary: Supports transformative R&D in drilling, sensing, and analysis to accelerate and improve ore deposit characterization for rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals.
Key Information: 20% cost share required (reduced for certain applicants); U.S. work location required unless waiver granted.
Description
This funding opportunity from ARPA-E seeks to catalyze disruptive advances in the characterization of ore deposits, particularly those containing rare earth elements (REEs) and other critical minerals essential for energy technologies. The program aims to dramatically reduce the time, cost, and uncertainty associated with evaluating mineral resources, enabling feasibility assessments in months rather than years. The focus is on innovative technologies for drilling, sensing, and analysis that can deliver order-of-magnitude improvements in resource assessment, with the ultimate goal of strengthening U.S. mineral independence and supply chain resilience.
