The University of Utah and DARPA have launched a new research platform focused on critical minerals and rare earth elements in the US.
The initiative, called the Strategic Materials Accelerator and Research Testbed (SMART), aims to accelerate the development of technologies for identifying, extracting, and processing strategic materials.
The project supports growing national demand for minerals used in defense systems, electric vehicles, renewable energy, and electronics.
The new SMART platform will serve as a national testing center for advanced biotechnology and materials research. It will help companies, researchers, and government agencies move technologies from laboratory experiments to large-scale industrial use.
The effort reflects increasing pressure on the US to reduce dependence on foreign mineral supply chains.
SMART Testbed for Critical Minerals
Critical minerals and rare earth elements are essential for many modern technologies. These materials are used in smartphones, batteries, wind turbines, military equipment, and computer chips. Many of these resources are currently mined or processed outside the US, creating supply risks during trade disputes or global disruptions.
The SMART initiative is designed to address these challenges by improving domestic research and production capabilities. The University of Utah will provide infrastructure for researchers to test technologies in real-world conditions. This process helps determine whether a scientific idea can work effectively on a larger commercial scale.
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DARPA is supporting the first phase of the project through its Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource program(EMBER).
The EMBER program studies how microbes can help recover rare earth elements from natural materials. Researchers believe these biological methods can reduce costs and environmental impact compared to traditional mining techniques.
Microbes are tiny organisms, such as bacteria, that interact naturally with minerals in the environment. Scientists are exploring ways to use them to separate valuable elements from rocks and waste materials. This method differs from conventional mining, which often relies on chemical-intensive processing systems.
University officials said the SMART facility will include advanced benchmarking systems for technology validation. Benchmarking allows researchers to compare performance, efficiency, and scalability before moving projects into industrial production. This stage is often expensive and difficult to fund, but it is important for turning research into practical solutions.
Jakob Jensen, associate vice president for research at the University of Utah, said the US urgently needs stronger systems for the development of strategic materials.
He described SMART as a modern testing ecosystem built to improve the national supply chain. He also said the platform addresses a major gap in the current research and commercialization process.
University of Utah Builds National Minerals Hub
The SMART initiative also builds on the University of Utah’s recently announced Institute for Critical and Strategic Minerals. The institute focuses on research, workforce training, and supply chain development related to critical materials. Together, the institute and SMART create a larger ecosystem focused on domestic mineral innovation.
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University President Taylor Randall said the project combines expertise in science, engineering, and public policy. He said the goal is to support national security while improving long-term supply chain resilience. The university also aims to strengthen US technology manufacturing and industrial competitiveness.
The project brings together support from several Utah-based organizations and industry groups. These include 47G, the Utah Mining Association, and the World Trade Center Utah. Their involvement highlights growing cooperation between universities, private industry, and economic development groups.
Aaron Starks, president and CEO of 47G, said the organization helped connect partners involved in the SMART project.
He said the initiative supports both the local industry in Utah and broader national supply chain goals. According to Starks, the project is designed to create long-term collaboration between researchers, companies, and policymakers.
Sha-Chelle Manning, chief of DARPA’s Commercial Strategy Office, said many scientific ideas struggle when moving beyond the laboratory stage. She explained that SMART is designed to reduce risks during the scaling process. The facility will allow innovators to test performance at meaningful levels before commercial deployment.
Why Critical Minerals Matter
Demand for critical minerals is rising rapidly worldwide. Electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, advanced defense equipment, and artificial intelligence hardware all require specialized materials. Governments are increasingly investing in domestic supply chains to secure access to these resources.
China currently dominates much of the global rare earth processing industry. This has raised concerns in the US and other countries about long-term supply stability. Projects such as SMART are part of wider efforts to strengthen domestic capabilities and reduce strategic vulnerabilities.
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The University of Utah said SMART represents the first phase of a larger multi-stage initiative. Future phases are expected to expand research, development, and industrial partnerships. The long-term goal is to create a stronger and more resilient ecosystem for critical materials innovation in the US.
The project also highlights how universities are playing a larger role in national technology development. Research institutions increasingly collaborate with government agencies and private companies to address industrial challenges. SMART is expected to become an important platform for future collaboration and advanced materials research.
As global competition for critical minerals intensifies, the US is investing more in domestic solutions. The SMART testbed adds new infrastructure for testing and scaling next-generation extraction technologies. Its success could shape future mineral supply chains and support key industries for decades ahead.
