The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
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New process skips toxic solvents in rare earth recovery and exposes new magnet chemistries. In a leap toward a more circular economy, researchers at IOCB Prague have unveiled a novel method of recycling rare earths that uses only water and a specially designed molecule to separate metals from used magnets. This approach bypasses the complexities, hazardous acids, organic solvents, and high-temperature treatments typically used in conventional separation and recovery. It...
Commits billions to creating its own U.S. hydrogen demand amidst shaky policy changes. Hyundai is betting big on Louisiana's clean energy future with plans to build a first-of-its-kind hydrogen-integrated steel mill in Ascension Parish. Unveiled before the Louisiana Clean Hydrogen Task Force on June 23, the project is being framed as the cornerstone of Hyundai's broader vision to establish the state as a national hydrogen hub. Slated to begin operations by 2029, the mill will...
Reducing, reusing, recycling EV batteries saves money, minerals, and the planet. Known for its growing role in battery recycling, Redwood Materials Inc. is expanding its focus with the launch of Redwood Energy, a venture that aims to repurpose electric vehicle batteries that have reached the end of their life on the road into stationary energy storage systems for AI data centers. This move marks a strategic evolution for founder JB Straubel, who sees energy storage as not...
Redwood to repurpose GM EV batteries for U.S.-built grid energy storage vital to AI-era electricity demand. As AI data centers, electric vehicles, and renewables reshape America's energy landscape, grid-scale battery storage is becoming essential infrastructure. To help meet this rising need, General Motors is partnering with Redwood Materials to manufacture new U.S.-built batteries and repurpose second-life EV packs for stationary storage. "The market for grid-scale... Full story
Innovative electric haulage systems will help mines sustainably achieve ambitious production targets. The race for critical minerals in the U.S. will require accelerated production from local mines – but to do this sustainably and at scale means harnessing smart and innovative technologies. The U.S. is accelerating efforts to increase domestic production of copper, lithium, niobium and rare earths to fuel the energy transition, protect national security, and support high-tech... Full story
REE recycler invests $25M in commercial processing and R&D facility. Advancing its mission to close critical loops in rare earth supply, Cyclic Materials Inc. has announced a $25 million (C$34 million) investment to establish North America's first rare earth recycling center – a pioneering 140,000-square-foot facility set to integrate commercial-scale magnet processing with cutting-edge research and development for a more secure, circular clean energy future. With attention i...
Lithium-vanadium design could help the U.S. sidestep the need for Chinese-sourced critical battery minerals. Boston-based startup Pure Lithium is racing to build a fully domestic plant for manufacturing lithium metal batteries that offer a homegrown alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries that are heavily dependent on Chinese-sourced minerals. "We're working as hard as we can to build a prototype pilot facility," CEO Emilie Bodoin said in a Bloomberg Television...
ASU professor, undergrads build and deconstruct batteries to improve graphite recycling. Under pressure to scale green energy storage faster than materials can be mined, researchers are shifting their focus to the most overlooked battery component: graphite. Making up more than half the mass of a battery, graphite is routinely damaged during recycling due to processes never designed to preserve it – a problem one professor and her team at Arizona State University are w...
Startup to deploy micro-factories to process battery waste across Asia. As lithium demand surges in the race to electrify the global economy, a Hong Kong startup is betting that artificial intelligence – and mobility – could be the key to revolutionizing battery recycling, easing environmental strain, and satisfying China's appetite for battery recycling feedstock. Despite surging global demand that could reach 450,000 metric tons annually by 2030, less than 5% of lit...
Electra and Three Fires joint venture integrates battery scrap into a community-conscious supply chain. North America is racing to secure critical mineral supplies at home and through trusted international partnerships. Now, a new Indigenous-led battery recycling venture in Canada is betting that the key to resilience lies not in the ground, but in the scrap. Despite efforts to expand domestic mining and refining in North America, a significant portion of the value chain, espe...
By developing the capacity to produce its own components for lithium-sulfur batteries, California-based Lyten has taken a step that could strengthen national supply chains and shift the balance of advanced battery manufacturing further away from Chinese control – offering a glimpse at how domestic lithium processing might help reduce America's strategic vulnerabilities. "Lithium is abundantly available across the United States, but the capacity to process lithium into b...
MP Materials, Ma'aden team up to establish mines-to-magnets rare earths value chain in Middle East. American rare earths mining and magnetics company MP Materials Corp. has signed a deal with Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden) to explore the creation of a fully integrated rare earths supply chain spanning North America and the Middle East. The memorandum of understanding, signed during the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum 2025 in Riyadh, marks a significant step toward...
Marks industry-first power transfer to moving, driverless haul truck via trolley system. As global mining companies prioritize lowering their environmental impact while improving the efficiency and profitability of mineral production, Komatsu has become the first heavy equipment manufacturer to successfully operate an autonomous electric drive haul truck powered via an overhead trolley assist system, drawing interest from mining operations globally. "This milestone...
Supports Indian technology advances, decarbonization, and materials security. As India accelerates on its path toward mineral security and a low-carbon future, Vedanta – one of the world's leading natural resources companies – has announced a bold move up the value chain, positioning itself not just as a supplier of raw materials but as a catalyst for industrial transformation. Driven by the rising demand for refined, high-performance metals, the boundary between resource ext...
Simple engineered material could set the benchmark for lithium battery conductivity. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a new solid-state battery material that conducts lithium ions more than 30% faster than its contemporaries, setting a world record and opening new possibilities for next-generation energy storage. This impressive performance is significant for the future commercial viability of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) – a safer, m...
PyroDelta road tests a tellurium-enhanced thermoelectric alternator-radiator for ICE vehicles. A tellurium-based thermoelectric generator developed by First Tellurium subsidiary PyroDelta Energy has exceeded expectations during real-world tests, signaling a leap forward for powering and cooling internal combustion and hybrid vehicles. "The real-world results have surpassed expectations," said First Tellurium President and CEO Tyrone Docherty. Thermoelectric generators,...
Japanese and U.S. companies partner to streamline nickel and cathode material recovery. In a move to push the electric vehicle industry and battery supply chain partnerships closer to a true circular economy, Panasonic Energy and Sumitomo Metal Mining have joined forces to recycle nickel from lithium-ion battery scrap and hit a 20% recycled cathode material target in automotive batteries before the end of the decade. "Building a sustainable recycling scheme for end-of-life...
Resource nationalism elevates the European will to diversify supply chains. In a major strategic move to strengthen critical raw materials security through international cooperation, the European Union has selected 13 new mining and processing projects to support beyond its borders, expanding its supply chain footprint across five continents by deepening ties with a diverse set of global allies. From Canadian nickel deposits and Greenlandic graphite seams to a newly...
ReElement, Exigo to refine end-of-life magnets with U.S. tech in India. As part of a broader effort to develop secure critical mineral supply chains, American Resources Corp., through its subsidiary ReElement Technologies Corp., has partnered with India-based Exigo Battery Solutions Pvt. Ltd. to form a joint venture focused on recycling rare earth magnets from end-of-life products like electric vehicle motors, hard disk drives, wind turbines, and MRI machines. The new joint ve...
Cleveland-Cliffs walks back plans for flagship U.S. hydrogen steel project. Cleveland-Cliffs, the largest producer of flat-rolled steel in North America, has signaled that it is pulling away from its original plan to build a hydrogen-ready green steel facility at its Middletown Works plant in Ohio, touted as an up-and-coming landmark in U.S. industrial decarbonization. The project, supported by a $500 million federal grant, aimed to replace coal-fired blast furnaces with... Full story
China agrees to temporarily lift export restrictions under new trade deal with the U.S. The United States and China have agreed on a trade deal that is expected to provide some relief to American manufacturers that have been forced to scale back production due to a lack of rare earth magnets needed for automobiles, clean energy, and high-tech devices. "Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me," President Trump wrote in a June 11 Truth...
California tech company secures future Alaska graphite for American-made batteries. Silicon Valley-based electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Motors and North America-focused critical minerals company Graphite One have signed a multi-year deal that will establish an all-American mine-to-EV battery graphite supply chain with links in Alaska, Ohio, Arizona, and garages across the United States. "A supply chain of critical materials within the United States drives our nation's... Full story
While Western nations push for diversification, the International Energy Agency warns critical mineral supply chains are becoming more concentrated. Even as Western governments ramp up efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains, the International Energy Agency warns that global dependency on a few nations – primarily China – is growing. This tightening grip poses heightened risks to energy security, industrial competitiveness, and clean energy ambitions. "In a world of... Full story
Cyclic to recycle rare earths from retiring fleet motors across North America. Leveraging a 270,000-vehicle micromobility fleet nearing retirement, rare earth recycler Cyclic Materials Inc. has joined forces with Lime to harvest and process the neodymium-iron-boron magnets from its soon-to-be decommissioned e-bike and scooter motors across North America, inaugurating the first large-scale magnet recycling program for shared electric vehicles and unlocking a new urban stream... Full story
Powerhouse partnership adds to countrywide list of stakeholders. Global electrification and automation leader ABB has joined Canada's Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) Network to fast-track mining innovation through cleaner, smarter, and more efficient technologies by opening new pathways for collaboration with Canadian clients on pilot projects, accessing government-backed funding, and advancing automation and low-emission solutions across the country's... Full story
