TECHNOLOGY

US DoE awards US$50M for critical minerals research

The US wants to reduce its dependence on imported critical materials.

Projects include four trials underway in extraction, separation, and processing technologies.

Projects include four trials underway in extraction, separation, and processing technologies.

The projects include four trials underway in extraction, separation, and processing technologies, and 11 underway in next-generation extraction, separation, and processing technologies, said the DoE.

The US wants to "reduce its dependence on imported critical materials by both diversifying the sources of materials needed for energy technologies and to establish domestic refinery capabilities".

The large-scale projects include US$22 million in funding for General Atomics's Rare Earth Element (REE) separation and processing demonstration project.

Almost US$15 million has also been allocated to BHER Minerals for its work on electrolytic production of battery-grade LiOH-H2O from geothermal brine.

Smaller projects include US$500,000 each allocated to University of Wyoming's generation of rare earth metals from rare earth oxides by using microwave plasma, and University of Virginia's development of industrial scale rare earth master alloys from their native oxides for magnet production.

The full list of awards is available here.

"The Department of Energy is leading the way in addressing supply risks of critical materials," said Daniel R Simmons, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "Through these investments, we will strengthen America's industrial base by addressing key domestic supply-chain gaps."

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production