GlobalPittsburgh hosted a regional delegation from the Near East and North Africa for the International Visitor Leadership Program focused on U.S. Best Practices in Critical Mineral Management from October 15–21, 2026. The group brought together government officials, engineers, scientists, and industry leaders from Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates working across mining, energy, geology, mineral processing, and strategic projects.
Participants visited West Virginia University’s Water Research Institute to explore how rare earth elements can be recovered from acid mine drainage, combining environmental remediation with efforts to strengthen domestic mineral supply chains. At Penn State’s Center for Critical Minerals, the delegation learned about research into recovering critical minerals from electronic waste, coal byproducts, and other unconventional sources, as well as how scientific discoveries move toward commercial applications.
In Pittsburgh, meetings at the Energy Innovation Center and the University of Pittsburgh Center for Energy focused on workforce development, public-private partnerships, advanced manufacturing, and technologies supporting more secure and diversified critical mineral supply chains. Delegates also met with Anactisis to discuss emerging approaches to critical mineral extraction and resource recovery from industrial waste streams.
The program also included home hospitality and opportunities to explore Pittsburgh, combining technical exchange with cultural connection and relationship-building across the critical minerals and energy sectors.
