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ContactNETL has a broad portfolio of research efforts building the science base and technology needed to elucidate the potential of unconventional feedstocks to supply domestic needs for critical minerals and materials.
National Inventory: We are integrating data from regions across the country to determine the Nation’s potential to recover critical minerals from unconventional feedstocks, including produced water, coal refuse, coal ash, and coal-mine drainage.
Advanced Characterization: We are elucidating the nature of the geomaterials characteristics and biogeochemical processes related to critical minerals in unconventional feedstocks.
Streamlined Valorization of Feedstocks: We are working with colleagues from across the national laboratory complex to develop rapid and defensible methods for valorizing unconventional feedstocks.
Latest News Highlights
NETL Database Upgrade May Help Pennsylvania Communities in Marcellus Formation Generate Revenue
Researchers have begun scaling up a technology developed by NETL to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from coal fly ash produced by power plants and transform a waste byproduct into a valuable feedstock.
Learn More About Recent Projects
Accelerating Valorization via AI and HERMES
Spanning 7 national laboratories, HERMES is a new initiative to develop and validate streamlined methods to characterize and valorize unconventional feedstocks.
Using DOE’s User Facilities to Find CMs in Fossil Feedstocks
Researchers at NETL are tapping advanced DOE user facilities to help determine the binding environment for CMs and REEs in complex geologic matrices
Discovering New CMM Recovery Methods for Fossil Energy Related Wastes
NETL scientists are developing innovative and targeted CMM extraction/processing methods via geochemistry and chemical engineering from multiple fossil energy related wastes, such as fly ash, acid mine drainage treatment wastes, and oil and gas produced waters.
Extracting Critical Minerals from Shale-Gas Reservoirs Using Precision Techniques
NETL is revaluating US sedimentary formations for energy production, and through technological advancement of process, developing methods to extract CMM from the rock matrix with a focus on enhanced use of existing infrastructure.
