NETL Director Brian Anderson will join other experts in rare earth elements (REEs) and critical materials (CMs) at a congressional launch of the House Critical Materials Caucus, being held virtually Sept. 24 at 12 p.m. (ET).  

Anderson will join representatives Guy Reschenthaler and Eric Swalwell, who co-chair the Caucus, along with Adam Schwartz, director of Ames Laboratory, and Brian Gabriel, industrial analyst with the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Policy.

Representatives Reschenthaler and Swalwell announced formation of the new House Critical Materials Caucus on July 24, 2020, to help the United States develop the technical expertise and production capabilities to assure a long-term, secure and sustainable supply of energy critical elements.

Anderson will introduce NETL’s scientific and technical solutions aimed at developing an economically competitive supply of REEs and CMs, which will assist in securing and maintaining the nation’s economic growth and national security.

The launch is open to the public and accessible here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ll7kIR3ATdKZiP1byvKQVg

NETL research into rare earth elements and critical minerals is working to validate the technical and economic feasibility of domestic small pilot-scale facilities to produce high-purity REEs and CMs from coal and coal-based resources. The program focuses on developing extraction, separation and recovery technologies, offering a pathway to improve the economics and reduce the environmental impact of a domestic coal-based value chain.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy announced plans Sept. 22 to make available $122 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development under the funding opportunity Carbon Ore, Rare Earth and Critical Minerals Initiative for U.S. Basins. Projects selected would help develop a viable domestic supply of REEs, critical minerals and other valuable products form the nation’s coal reserves.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that produces technological solutions for America’s energy challenges. From developing creative innovations and efficient energy systems that make coal more competitive, to advancing technologies that enhance oil and natural gas extraction and transmission processes, NETL research is providing breakthroughs and discoveries that support domestic energy initiatives, stimulate a growing economy, and improve the health, safety, and security of all Americans. Highly skilled men and women at NETL’s sites in Albany, Oregon; Anchorage, Alaska; Houston, Texas; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania conduct a broad range of research activities that support DOE’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.