Two US government departments, the Department of Energy (DoE) and Department of Labor (DoL), signed a five-year agreement to boost the use of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, advanced sensors, and other emerging technologies across the nation's mining sector, focusing on safety and innovation. The agreement aims to accelerate deployment, improve worker safety, increase productivity, and support secure domestic production of critical minerals by combining DOE's expertise in energy technologies with DOL's knowledge of mine safety. US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated that "America's security and economic future depend on developing a strong domestic mining sector." Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling said the agreement ensures the departments "will work side by side to prepare the mining workforce, advance mining technology, and support the safe production of the coal that powers America's future." Under the agreement, DOE's Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) and Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) will collaborate with DOL's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to share non-proprietary data, research, and technical expertise. The partnership will focus on five areas: fostering collaborative research and development, leveraging federal expertise, improving mine safety, facilitating workforce development, and enhancing data access and digitisation.