ARPA-E Archived Funding Opportunities

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit input for a potential Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), United States Geological Survey (USGS), and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program focused on novel approaches and innovative methods that can accelerate the exploration and characterization of critical mineral deposits in the subsurface. More specifically, a potential program would focus on advanced modeling and sensing techniques for the exploration and 3-D characterization of critical mineral deposits in the subsurface.

Two proposed focus areas for the potential program are:

1. Enhanced data acquisition using new sensors and techniques; and
2. Three-dimensional (3-D) analysis based on advanced analytical tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms.

Areas Not of Interest for Responses to this RFI:

• Efforts that focus solely on the surface expression of critical mineral deposits without considering subsurface extent; and
• Approaches with primary applicability to non-critical mineral deposits or resources.

RFI Guidelines:

Note that the information you provide will be used by ARPA-E solely for program planning, without attribution. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THIS RFI DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. NO FUNDING OPPORTUNITY EXISTS AT THIS TIME.

The purpose of this RFI is solely to solicit input for ARPA-E, USGS, and DARPA consideration to inform the possible formulation of future research programs. ARPA-E, USGS, and DARPA will not provide funding or compensation for any information submitted in response to this RFI, and ARPA-E may use information submitted to this RFI without any attribution to the source. This RFI provides the broad research community with an opportunity to contribute views and opinions.

No material submitted for review will be returned and there will be no formal or informal debriefing concerning the review of any submitted material. ARPA-E, USGS, and DARPA may contact respondents to request clarification or seek additional information relevant to this RFI. All responses provided will be considered, but ARPA-E, USGS, and DARPA will not respond to individual submissions or publish a compendium of responses. Respondents shall not include any information in the response to this RFI that could be considered proprietary or confidential.