resentatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate, as containing indi-
viduals that have academic expertise or 
specialized knowledge or engage in prac-
tices that could benefit the mining indus-
try. 
‘‘(4) OUTREACH.—To the extent practicable, 
the Bureau shall conduct outreach, in coordination 
with United States embassies, mining industry lead-
ers, and mining institutions in foreign countries that 
are likely to produce a range of qualified applicants 
for the Visiting Scholars Program. 
‘‘(e) STRUCTURE.— 
‘‘(1) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—To carry out 
the purpose described in subsection (b)— 
‘‘(A) each individual selected pursuant to 
subsection (d)(1) who is coming to the United 
States as a visiting mining scholar shall ar-
range placement in a United States academic 
institution approved by the Bureau; 
‘‘(B) each visiting mining scholar should— 
‘‘(i) consult with faculty members to 
provide technical assistance on how to de-
velop or expand a mining education pro-
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gram at the host institution of higher edu-
cation; 
‘‘(ii) assist in the development and re-
view of mining education curricula, includ-
ing course syllabi, laboratory modules, and 
fieldwork components; 
‘‘(iii) participate in collaborative re-
search projects with faculty, students, and 
third-party research institutions, focusing 
on innovative mining technologies, sustain-
able mining practices, and resource man-
agement; 
‘‘(iv) facilitate partnerships between 
the host institution and mining organiza-
tions, government agencies, and other in-
stitutions to foster academic exchange, re-
search collaboration, and workforce devel-
opment; 
‘‘(v) mentor undergraduate and grad-
uate students interested in mining edu-
cation, offering guidance on academic 
projects and career development; and 
‘‘(vi) contribute to the development of 
outreach programs aimed at increasing 
awareness of the mining industry as a ca-
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reer path and to increase awareness of the 
types of mining professions available; and 
‘‘(C) the bureau shall, for each visiting 
mining scholar, approve a work plan that iden-
tifies the target objectives for the scholar, in-
cluding specific duties and responsibilities relat-
ing to those objectives. 
‘‘(2) 
ELIGIBLE
UNITED
STATES
INSTITU-
TIONS.—Visiting mining scholars shall be placed in 
a United States institution of higher education ap-
proved by the Bureau that— 
‘‘(A) demonstrates a commitment to devel-
oping or expanding academic programs in the 
mining industry; 
‘‘(B) possesses existing faculty expertise or 
research activity in the mining industry or re-
lated extractive fields; 
‘‘(C) provides institutional support and re-
sources, such as laboratory facilities, field sites, 
or equipment, relevant to mining education and 
research, including in geology; 
‘‘(D) demonstrates a commitment to inte-
grate the visiting scholar into curriculum devel-
opment, faculty training, or workforce pipeline 
initiatives in mining; 
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‘‘(E) demonstrates a plan for sustaining 
mining or critical mineral resources programs 
beyond the duration of the visiting scholar’s 
placement; 
‘‘(F) can provide evidence of student inter-
est or regional workforce demand for mining 
education programs or training; and 
‘‘(G) agrees to provide mentoring, adminis-
trative support, and opportunities for the vis-
iting scholar to engage with students, faculty, 
and local industry. 
‘‘(3) SCHOLARSHIP PERIOD.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The duration of each 
scholarship period under this section shall be 
determined by the Bureau and shall, whenever 
feasible, be not less than three months and not 
more than one year. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Any exception to the 
duration of the scholarship period described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be submitted by the vis-
iting mining scholar to and approved by the 
Bureau before such exception takes effect. 
‘‘(f) SCHOLARSHIP AWARD.—The Bureau shall pro-
vide each visiting mining scholar under this section with 
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an allowance to cover the scholar’s reasonable costs of liv-
ing during the scholarship period. 
‘‘(g) REPORTS.—Not later than one year after the 
date of completion of the Visiting Mining Scholars Pro-
gram by the initial cohort of scholars selected under sub-
section (d), and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State 
shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate a report providing information on 
the implementation of the Visiting Scholars Program, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(1) the demographics and geographical origins 
of the cohort of scholars who completed a Visiting 
Scholars Program during the preceding 1-year pe-
riod; 
‘‘(2) the United States universities that visiting 
scholars were placed in; 
‘‘(3) the foreign universities or other post-grad-
uate institutions that the cohort of scholars were 
chosen from; 
‘‘(4) a description of academic placements se-
lected, under the Visiting Scholars Program, includ-
ing participant feedback on program implementation 
and feedback on lessons learned; and 
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‘‘(5) a plan for factoring lessons learned into 
future programming.’’. 
SEC. 305. AMENDMENT TO THE MUTUAL AND CULTURAL 
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1961. 
Section 112(a) of the Mutual Educational and Cul-
tural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2460(a)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (9), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(2) in the first paragraph designated as para-
graph (10), by striking the period at the end and in-
serting a semicolon; 
(3) by redesignating the second paragraph des-
ignated as paragraph (10) as paragraph (11); 
(4) in paragraph (11), as so redesignated, by 
striking the period at the end and inserting a semi-
colon; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(12) the Mining Fellowship Program estab-
lished under section 116, which provides funding for 
studies, research, and international exchange for 
students seeking or completing advanced degrees 
from United States institutions of higher education 
in self-arranged placements with universities with 
mining education programs in foreign countries; and 
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‘‘(13) the Visiting Mining Scholars Program es-
tablished under section 117, which provides funding 
for international mining academics, practitioners, 
professionals and operators in self-arranged place-
ments with universities in the United States.’’. 
SEC. 306. DEFINITIONS. 
The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.), as amended by section 
303 and section 304, is further amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 118. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this Act: 
‘‘(1) ADVANCED DEGREE.—The term ‘advanced 
degree’ means a master’s or doctoral degree from an 
institution of higher education. 
‘‘(2) CRITICAL
MINERAL.—The term ‘critical 
mineral’— 
‘‘(A) means any mineral on the list of crit-
ical minerals required by section 7002(c)(3) of 
the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(c)(3)) 
on or after January 1, 2026; and 
‘‘(B) includes gold and copper. 
‘‘(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘institution of higher education’, unless 
otherwise provided in this Act, has the meaning 
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given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
‘‘(4) MINING EDUCATION PROGRAM.—The term 
‘mining education program’ means an academic pro-
gram related to the mining industry. 
‘‘(5) MINING INDUSTRY.—The term ‘mining in-
dustry’ means the mining industry of the United 
States, consisting of activities related to naturally 
occurring metal and nonmetal critical minerals, in-
cluding the following: 
‘‘(A) Geological mapping, geophysical sur-
veying, geochemical sampling, and management 
of geological data. 
‘‘(B) Mineral system analysis, exploration, 
and resource delineation, including exploratory 
drilling and resource estimation and classifica-
tion. 
‘‘(C) Project development, feasibility stud-
ies, financing, and permitting. 
‘‘(D) Mine construction, extraction, and 
operational support activities. 
‘‘(E) Mineral processing, beneficiation, 
smelting, refining, chemical conversion, and 
separation. 
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‘‘(F) Material conversion and advanced 
materials manufacturing. 
‘‘(G) Transportation, logistics, and han-
dling of intermediate and finished material 
products. 
‘‘(H) Reclamation, remediation, reuse, re-
cycling, and recovery of materials from primary 
and secondary sources, including mine waste 
and end-of-life products. 
‘‘(6) MINING PROFESSION.—The term ‘mining 
profession’ means the body of jobs directly relevant 
to the mining industry.’’. 
Æ 
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