HR 9646: Quantum-Enhanced Critical Minerals Mapping Act of 2026

HR 9646 in plain English: This bill is early in the legislative process and detailed text is not yet available. Sponsor: Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3] (R) · Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

Stated purpose

To require the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct advanced quantum technology-based surveys to find and map critical mineral and rare earth element deposits on or near federal lands, improving on existing survey data.

Arguments supporters make

• The U.S. depends heavily on foreign sources for critical minerals; better mapping of domestic deposits could reduce that dependence and strengthen national security.
• Using cutting-edge quantum technology could find deeper or harder-to-detect mineral deposits that older survey methods miss, giving more value for the federal investment.
• Making survey data publicly available could attract private investment in domestic mining without requiring the government to do the mining itself.

Arguments opponents make

• Quantum gravity gradiometry is still an emerging technology, and it is unclear whether it is mature enough for large-scale field surveys, meaning federal dollars could be spent on results that are not yet reliable or actionable.
• Even if new mineral deposits are found, existing permitting and environmental review processes could delay or prevent their development, limiting the real-world impact of the surveys.
• The bill directs resources toward a narrow set of at least 3 focus areas on or near federal lands, potentially leaving out regions or deposit types that could be equally or more valuable.

Tradeoffs

Spending federal money on advanced surveys could accelerate domestic mineral discovery and attract private investment, but the technology is unproven at scale and survey findings alone do not guarantee that deposits can be permitted, developed, or made economically viable.

Current status in Congress: In committee.