S. 598 — Unearth Innovation Act

This section establishes a mineral and mining innovation initiative within the Department of Energy not later than 180 days after enactment. The initiative supports research, development, deployment, and commercialization of technologies and practices for responsibly identifying, mining, extracting, processing, recycling, and reprocessing minerals; accelerates advanced technologies to minimize environmental impacts and improve productivity; and coordinates with specified agencies on safety and innovation. In carrying out the initiative, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy must identify, study, evaluate, test, and demonstrate technologies to improve mineral resource identification and mapping; environmental performance; efficiency and productivity; data analytics; safety; reclamation; community and tribal engagement; unconventional recovery; workforce training; and product lifespan (subsection (c)(1)). Focus areas include mineral exploration technologies (e.g., geophysical surveys, uncrewed platforms); production, remediation, and processing techniques (e.g., in-situ recovery, geometallurgy, tailings management); critical mineral recycling; social acceptance research and community benefit agreements; and other areas as determined by the Secretary, with reevaluation at least every five years (subsection (c)(2)-(3)). "Mining university" is defined as an institution of higher education (per 20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) with an accredited mining, metallurgical, geological, or mineral engineering program.