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A photograph with elements from the periodc table edited to look like scrabble pieces.
NETL selected six projects last year to receive a total of nearly $1 million to create a sustainable supply chain of critical minerals (CMs), including rare earth elements (REEs), which are crucial to the development of clean energy and national defense technologies. These projects have since made great strides toward their objectives, including drafting a report to provide insights into consumption and price data, characterizing midstream REE concentrates, and conducting a value analysis to determine the recoverable value of REEs from acid mine drainage (AMD).
A headshot photograph of Christina Lopano.
NETL’s Christina Lopano, Ph.D., will participate in a webinar Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 2-3 p.m. ET, highlighting important NETL-led rare earth element (REE) research at the Wyoming Innovation Center (WyIC) in Gillette, Wyoming. Lopano will join experts from government and academia for a panel to discuss the creation of the WyIC, current and upcoming projects and the impact the Center’s work will have on emerging market opportunities and innovative methods to use domestic coal resources in the growing clean energy economy.
A diagram depicting the word Explore, Produce, Transport, Utilize.
Through developing robust domestic sources of critical materials (CMs), including rare earth elements (REEs), America’s historic energy producing regions, such as the Powder River Basin and others, have a unique opportunity to solve one of the nation’s greatest resource challenges and benefit their workers in the process.
Two white sedans parked at an electric car charging station.
NETL is leading a charge to develop the nation’s critical mineral (CM) supply chains with an approach that simultaneously helps disadvantaged communities become critical contributors in the nation’s low-carbon energy future.
NETL-Supported REE from Coal Ash Technology Development Attracts New Support from DOD
U.S.  Department of Defense (DOD) progress on a $4 million plan to pursue a technology for recovering rare earth elements (REEs) and other critical minerals from coal ash, has its roots in a ground-breaking project spearheaded by NETL and private partner – Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI). The DOD’s action is an example of how NETL leverages cooperative partnerships for technology development in the public and private sectors.
RFI Logo
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released a Request for Information (RFI) on the design, construction and operation of a new facility to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of a full-scale rare earth element (REE) and critical minerals (CM) extraction and separation refinery using unconventional resources. When built, this first-of-a-kind facility, supported by $140 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support American manufacturing jobs, and help build a strong domestic supply chain for the next generation of clean energy technologies vital to reaching President Biden’s goal of a net-zero emissions future.  
NETL’s Mary Anne Alvin, an expert on RareEarthElements, has accepted a nomination from @smecommunity as a 2021-2022 SME Henry Krumb Lecturer for her paper titled “Rare Earth Elements and Critical Materials."
NETL will soon have the opportunity to share its research initiatives in the field of rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals (CMs) with the greater mining and engineering communities when Mary Anne Alvin presents before the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME). Her acceptance of the nomination to be a 2021-2022 SME Henry Krumb Lecturer will enable her to present research and findings of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) with SME’s members.
Brian and UCFER Hands
NETL leadership and experts, including NETL Director Brian Anderson, Ph.D., joined representatives from 11 universities as they gathered virtually to discuss project successes during the 2021 University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research (UCFER) Annual Technical Review Meeting this week. NETL Deputy Director and Chief Technology Officer Sean Plasynski, Ph.D., kicked off the second day of the meeting with opening remarks, proceeded by an administrative update from UCFER DOE Project Officer Omer Bakshi.
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NETL Director Brian Anderson, Ph.D., will welcome representatives from 11 universities for the virtual 2021 University Coalition for Fossil Energy Research (UCFER) Annual Technical Review Meeting Oct. 5-6, 2021. “Partnerships like UCFER help the Lab leverage its connections, resources and expertise to develop critical carbon management technologies,” Anderson said. “The dedication of our University partners across UCFER to our mission is an inspiration when we see the innovations from see the best and brightest minds from universities across the country.”
REE
NETL’s Research & Innovation Center’s (RIC) work to develop domestic supply chains of critical minerals (CMs) and rare earth elements (REEs) from unconventional sources such as carbon ore ash, acid mine drainage and other sources has resulted in several milestones in technological applications of sensors and geoscience.