I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8187 
To require technology grants to strengthen domestic mining education, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 22, 2022 
Mr. OWENS (for himself, Mr. COSTA, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. STAUBER, and Mr. 
STEWART) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To require technology grants to strengthen domestic mining 
education, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mining Schools Act 
of 2022’’. 
SEC. 2. TECHNOLOGY GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN DOMESTIC 
MINING EDUCATION. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(1) BOARD.—The term ‘‘Board’’ means the 
Mining Professional Development Advisory Board 
established by subsection (d)(1). 
(2) MINING INDUSTRY.—The term ‘‘mining in-
dustry’’ means the mining industry of the United 
States, consisting of the search for, extraction, 
beneficiation, refining, smelting, and processing of, 
naturally occurring metal and nonmetal minerals 
from the earth. 
(3) MINING PROFESSION.—The term ‘‘mining 
profession’’ means the body of jobs directly relevant 
to— 
(A) the exploration, planning, execution, 
and remediation of metal and nonmetal mining 
sites; and 
(B) the extraction, including the separa-
tion, refining, alloying, smelting, concentration, 
and processing, of mineral ores. 
(4) MINING
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘mining 
school’’ means— 
(A) a mining, metallurgical, geological, or 
mineral engineering program accredited by the 
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Tech-
nology, Inc., that is located at an institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 101 of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001)); or 
(B) a geology or engineering program or 
department that is located at a 4-year public in-
stitution of higher education (as so defined) lo-
cated in a qualified State. 
(5) QUALIFIED
STATE.—The term ‘‘qualified 
State’’ means a State that, in the 5 years preceding 
the date of an application for a grant under this sec-
tion, averaged not less than $2,000,000,000 in the 
combined categories of ‘‘Mining (except oil and 
gas)’’ and ‘‘Support activities for mining’’, according 
to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(b) DOMESTIC MINING EDUCATION STRENGTHENING 
PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall establish a program to 
strengthen domestic mining education under which the 
Secretary shall award competitive grants to mining schools 
for the purposes described in paragraph (4). 
(c) GRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the grant 
program established under subsection (b), the Sec-
retary shall award not more than 10 grants each 
year to mining schools. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(2) SELECTION REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—To the maximum ex-
tent practicable, the Secretary shall select re-
cipients for grants under paragraph (1) to en-
sure geographic diversity among grant recipi-
ents to ensure that region-specific specialties 
are developed for region-specific geology. 
(B) TIMELINE.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
award the first grant under paragraph (1) 
not later than 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act. 
(ii) 
SUBSEQUENT
GRANTS.—Each 
year following the first year in which 
grants are awarded pursuant to clause (i), 
the Secretary shall award subsequent 
grants by not later than 1 year after the 
date on which the grants were awarded the 
previous year. 
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS
OF
THE
BOARD.—In 
selecting recipients for grants under paragraph (1) 
and determining the amount of each grant, the Sec-
retary shall take into consideration the recommenda-
tions of the Board under subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
of subsection (d)(3). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(4) USE OF FUNDS.—A mining school shall use 
grant funds received under this section— 
(A) to recruit students to the mining 
school, including through awarding scholar-
ships; and 
(B) to enhance and support programs re-
lated to, as applicable— 
(i) mining, mineral extraction effi-
ciency, and related processing technology; 
(ii) emphasizing critical mineral and 
rare earth element exploration, extraction, 
and refining; 
(iii) reclamation technology and prac-
tices for active mining operations; 
(iv) the development of reprocessing 
systems and technologies that facilitate 
reclamation that fosters the recovery of re-
sources at abandoned mine sites; 
(v) mineral extraction methods that 
reduce environmental and human impacts; 
(vi) technologies to extract, refine, 
separate, melt, or produce minerals, in-
cluding rare earth elements; 
(vii) reducing dependence on foreign 
energy and mineral supplies through in-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
creased domestic critical mineral produc-
tion; 
(viii) enhancing the competitiveness of 
United States energy and mineral tech-
nology exports; 
(ix) the extraction or processing of co-
inciding 
mineralization, 
including 
rare 
earth elements, within coal, coal processing 
byproduct, overburden, or coal residue; 
(x) enhancing technologies and prac-
tices relating to mitigation of acid mine 
drainage, reforestation, and revegetation in 
the reclamation of land and water re-
sources adversely affected by mining; 
(xi) enhancing exploration and charac-
terization of new or novel deposits, includ-
ing rare earth elements and critical min-
erals within phosphate rocks, uranium- 
bearing deposits, and other nontraditional 
sources; 
(xii) meeting challenges of extreme 
mining conditions, such as deeper deposits 
or offshore or cold region mining; and 
(xiii) mineral economics, including 
analysis of supply chains, future mineral 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
needs, and unconventional mining re-
sources. 
(d) MINING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADVI-
SORY BOARD.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established an advi-
sory board, to be known as the ‘‘Mining Professional 
Development Advisory Board’’. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—The Board shall be com-
posed of 6 members, to be appointed by the Sec-
retary not later than 180 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, of whom— 
(A) 3 shall be individuals who are actively 
working in the mining profession and for the 
mining industry; and 
(B) 3 shall have experience in academia 
implementing and operating professional skills 
training and education programs in the mining 
sector. 
(3) DUTIES.—The Board shall— 
(A) evaluate grant applications received 
under subsection (c) and make recommenda-
tions to the Secretary for selection of grant re-
cipients under that subsection; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
(B) propose the amount of the grant for 
each applicant recommended to be selected 
under subparagraph (A); and 
(C) perform oversight to ensure that grant 
funds awarded under subsection (c) are used 
for the purposes described in paragraph (4) of 
that subsection. 
(4) TERM.—A member of the Board shall serve 
for a term of 4 years. 
(5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Board— 
(A) shall not affect the powers of the 
Board; and 
(B) shall be filled in the same manner as 
the original appointment was made by not later 
than 180 days after the date on which the va-
cancy occurs. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2030. 
(2) REQUIREMENT.—At the end of each fiscal 
year, any amounts made available under paragraph 
(1) for that fiscal year that are not awarded as 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
grants under subsection (c) shall be returned to the 
Treasury. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
16:34 Jul 03, 2022
Jkt 029200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H8187.IH
H8187
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB