The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
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Zinc-air battery repurposed to make hydrogen peroxide sustainably. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have transformed a humble zinc-air battery into a chemical reactor that produces hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) – offering a low-cost, energy-efficient alternative to a polluting industrial process. For many eco-friendly households, hydrogen peroxide is an all-around essential item in medicine cabinets and cleaning closets. Considered a natural alternative for e...
Modular commercial transport solutions for mining and construction. Scania Power Solutions (SCANIA), a major Swedish provider of commercial transport, is accelerating the shift toward electrification with the debut of a new generation of all-electric and hybrid power vehicles – unveiled at Bauma 2025, the world's leading trade fair for construction and mining machinery – designed to replace the fuel-intensive, high-emission engines commonly used across the construction and min...
Researchers at the Autonomous University of Querétaro design sustainable cell. Researchers in Mexico at the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ) have unveiled a new thin-film solar cell design capable of converting more than twice the standard percentage of sunlight into usable electricity, using only Earth-abundant, non-toxic materials in a breakthrough that could help reshape the solar industry and accelerate the global shift away from fossil fuels. A standard c...
With anode breakthrough, America can commercialize this green energy storage opportunity. As the global battery market looks beyond lithium, tin is emerging as a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries, offering recyclability, affordability, and high theoretical capacity – significantly greater than graphite. By enhancing cost-efficiency, safety, and sustainability without substantial loss in energy density, tin-based anodes are helping narrow the performance gap wit... Full story
Australian researchers unveil a common strain capable of extracting gold from soil. In an extraordinary finding, Australian researchers have discovered that certain strains of fungus are capable of metabolizing gold, expanding not only the toolbox of bio-indicators for metals prospecting but also the potential of naturally drawing the precious metal from tailings and mineralized soils that otherwise don't meet economic requirements for conventional mining. The applications hav... Full story
How the new wave of robotics is driving demand for critical minerals. AI-driven robotics are poised to transform industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics, ushering in a new era of efficiency, autonomy, and safety. But behind the sleek machines is a story of material intensity. Whether it's a humanoid on an assembly line or a robodog on the beat, every robot depends on high-performance materials: lithium-ion batteries for power, rare earth magnets for motion,...
Sulfide leaching may finally bring old copper mines back online by the successful extraction of hard-to-process waste rock. A century-old copper mine in Morenci, Arizona – the largest in the U.S. – still holds nearly 10 million tons of copper trapped in waste rock. With conventional mining no longer viable there, Freeport-McMoRan is investing in sulfide leaching, an advanced chemical method to extract copper from low-grade ores and waste. "That's the equivalent of a major copp...
Transition from diesel and gas to renewable energy by 2030 will take a total capacity of 1,500 MW of solar. Former CEO and current chairman of Fortescue Metals Group Andrew Forrest has presented plans for one of Western Australia's largest solar farms to forward the company's goal of eliminating its use of fossil fuels by 2030; powering its extensive iron ore operations with clean energy is a major step in this direction. Fortescue made headlines back in 2022 with a bold pledg...
Arizona State University and Army researchers make an out-of-the-box discovery that advances alloy design. In a breakthrough for high-temperature materials, researchers from Arizona State University, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Lehigh University, and Louisiana State University have developed a copper alloy that maintains exceptional mechanical strength and thermal stability even after prolonged exposure to extreme heat. Created for use in environments where...
Designed by the European Commission to bolster a domestic supply chain and break away from China and risky import reliance. The European Commission has selected 47 strategic projects with the potential to bolster the EU's supply of critical raw materials, a move designed to reduce reliance on foreign sources, particularly China. This initiative under the commission's Critical Raw Materials Act seeks to boost domestic mining, processing, and recycling of key minerals and...
TOMRA unveils a deep learning-based sorting solution. With the goal of producing smelter-ready aluminum feedstock from mixed scrap, TOMRA has developed a deep learning-based sorting system that rapidly analyzes and classifies different aluminum types with high precision – resolving a longstanding challenge in industrial recycling and setting a new benchmark for purity in the metals sector. Faced with the higher costs of materials recovery, cities and companies often l...
IDTechEx reports the data behind the strategy; can the U.S. learn from its ally? Critical material recovery in Europe is no longer a question of "if" but "when." The EU is rapidly building infrastructure to recover tens of thousands of tons of lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery metals and rare earth elements (REEs) by 2030. However, achieving full-scale material security will require more than just processing capacity – it will depend on effective collection and separation to e... Full story
Replacing coal with superheated hydrogen plasma has the potential to slash steel manufacturing emissions. The steel industry is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, primarily due to its reliance on coal and coke to refine iron from ore. Researchers at Norway's SINTEF, one of Europe's leading independent research organizations, are pioneering a new approach using hydrogen plasma, which could replace fossil fuels in the metal production process. This...
Hill Prize awards $500K to University of Texas professors for rare earth magnet alternatives. University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) Professor James Chelikowsky and University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington) Professor J. Ping Liu have been awarded the 2025 Hill Prize in Physical Sciences for groundbreaking research in magnet technology. The prestigious award, presented by the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST) and Lyda Hill...
International scientific and market cooperation can create a diverse, resilient global battery ecosystem. The global battery industry has achieved a sea change, surpassing 1 terawatt-hour (TWh) in demand for the first time in 2024. As electric vehicle sales and energy storage needs grow, and overall production costs continue to fall, supply chain realignments are reshaping the industry. This expansion underscores the increasing role of batteries in both transportation and...
Over $9M in battery-electric vehicles to be delivered to Canadian underground mine. Epiroc AB has secured a major order from Hudbay Minerals Inc. for a fleet of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), including drilling rigs, loaders, and haulers, to be deployed at the Lalor mine in Manitoba, Canada, marking a significant step in Hudbay's electrification journey by enhancing productivity, reducing emissions, and cutting operational costs. "We are happy to support Hudbay Minerals as...
Researchers develop groundbreaking cathode material that resolves sulfur's key failings. A research team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University has developed a cathode for lithium-sulfur battery technology that mitigates three major limitations: poor conductivity, rapid capacity loss, and instability during charge cycles. By incorporating a highly porous, sponge-like metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived structure – built from metal atoms connected by organic molecules – the new...
Scientists have developed a membrane technology that can extract lithium from salt brines using electricity – offering a cleaner, speedier alternative to conventional evaporation ponds. This innovation, led by researchers from the University of Birmingham and collaborators from France and China, addresses the pressing environmental concerns of lithium brine mining – cutting water consumption, minimizing pollution, and enabling greener battery production for powering the ene...
Honeybee Robotics selected to provide rover for lunar mission to Gruithuisen Domes. Firefly Aerospace is once again setting its sights on the Moon –this time in partnership with Honeybee Robotics, a subsidiary of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, to deliver a high-tech rover on its third lunar mission in 2028 aimed at exploring the Gruithuisen Domes, a set of unique volcanic formations on the Moon's near side that could offer insights into its geological history and potential r... Full story
Leading company to scale sustainable direct lithium extraction tech. Summit Nanotech has raised $25.5 million to accelerate commercialization of its lithium extraction technology, advancing a solution poised to cut costs amid a volatile global market for the critical battery metal. Founded in 2018 and based in Calgary, Alberta, Summit Nanotech specializes in direct lithium extraction (DLE) for the mining industry. The latest funding round was backed by Evok Innovations, BDC...
CMF's closed-cell structure enhances compressive strength and insulation with 70% less material, making it stronger, lighter, and environmentally friendly. Metal foams are conventionally open-cell, with density and porosity akin to a sponge or steel wool, while a groundbreaking new composite metal foam (CMF) can be likened to blocks of Swiss cheese and is set to revolutionize aerospace and defense industries with its unprecedented combination of strength, lightness, and...
From critical minerals and climate change to defense, Esper is racking up support and partnerships. Melbourne-based space startup Esper Satellites has secured $5 million in seed funding to expand its fleet of hyperspectral satellites, which scan Earth for critical minerals such as lithium and rare earths. Following the ongoing success of Adelaide-based pioneer in satellite-driven mineral discovery Fleet Space Technologies, Esper aims to revolutionize mineral exploration by...
New shape-memory alloy maintains strength and flexibility across an unprecedented temperature range. Scientists at Tohoku University, Japan, have unveiled a revolutionary titanium-aluminum-chromium (superelastic shape-memory alloy that maintains its strength and flexibility across temperatures from the frigid depths of liquid helium (minus 269 degrees Celsius) to heat beyond boiling water (127 degrees Celsius). This material, which combines lightweight durability with extreme...
Vancouver-based gold miner demonstrates its commitment to balancing success with positive environmental and social impacts. Vancouver-based B2Gold Corp. has completed the phase-two expansion of its Fekola Solar Plant in Mali, significantly increasing its renewable energy capacity. Now fully operational, the expanded facility is set to provide 52 megawatts of solar power, reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 63,000 metric tons annually, and cut heavy fuel oil consumption by... Full story
In the spirit of exploration, space mining startups push forward through adversity. President John F. Kennedy's address of the United States' race to the Moon back in 1962 has stood the test of time over decades and remains salient today. Adversity and mishaps are nothing new to the United States in its push to conquer space, from uncovering the secrets and resources of our nearest celestial neighbor to proliferating the void itself, between sky and stars. Mining startups,... Full story
