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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Illinois Basin Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (IB-CORE-CM) Initiative (Final Report (Redacted)(Public))

Final Report; Illinois Basin - Carbon Ore, Rare Earth and Critical Mineral (IB-CORE-CM) project team has conducted a comprehensive basin-wide assessment of CORE-CM presence in coal, coal-based, and waste stream resources, as well as a thorough examination of mining practices, separation technologies, and the local infrastructure necessary for producing and providing the needed CORE-CM resources for U.S. industry. This final report details the research, methods, and results of the project.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2024

Characterization Inform Sustainable Recovery of Critical Minerals from Fossil Energy Waste Feedstocks

Rare earth elements (REE) and other critical minerals (CM, e.g., Co, Ni, Li) have important uses in green energy and modern technologies, yet are vulnerable to potential supply chain disruptions. One potential domestic CM source is fossil energy wastes, such as acid mine drainage (AMD) and treatment solids (AMD solids), coal combustion ash, and Oil and Gas (O&G) drilling wastes (drill cuttings and produced waters). While they can contain lower CM concentrations then traditional ore, the quantity and fast availability as waste feedstock makes them a promising CM resource. To explore their promise, researchers at DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have collected and analyzed CM data for aforementioned fossil energy wastes, and utilized advanced geochemical characterization (e.g., synchrotron microprobe and sequential extraction) to identify the CM speciation and binding environments, and developed sustainable and targeted CM recovery. Successful examples include: (1) the discovery of easily mobile REE phases in Ca-rich coal combustion ash and developing a patented REE recovery process from Ca-rich Powder River Basin coal ash; (2) the successful identification of REE/Co/Ni/Zn hosting phases in acid mine drainage treatment solids (AMD solids) with diverse chemical composition (Al, Mn, or Fe-rich) informing the sequential recovery of different REE/CMs from AMD solids; (3) the recovery potential of Li and other CMs in O&G produced waters and drill cuttings. The innovations driven by characterization have the potential to offset the cost of waste management and wastewater treatments while reducing the cost and environmental footprint of CM extraction.

Stuckman, Mengling↗
DOE OSTI2025

Phosphorus Recycling from Ribonucleotide Structures by Iron Oxide Minerals

In this research, we combined experimental and molecular modeling to obtain a fundamental understanding required to evaluate and predict the role of three natural iron oxides minerals (ferrihydrite, goethite, and hematite) in recycling phosphorus from organic matter, particularly ribonucleotides.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reactive-transport modeling of fracture flow to quantify the changes in flow pathways from matrix thermal contraction and mineral precipitation and dissolution; influence of grid resolution

A series of reactive-transport models of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) were constructed using the reactive transport code PFLOTRAN to examine the effect of matrix thermal contraction and mineral dissolution/precipitation on fracture flow in the context of grid cell size and model complexity. It was found that for thermal drawdown at production well, the impact of fracture zone grid cell size is negligible.

Gatz-Miller, Hannah Sarah↗
DOE OSTI2021

Soil net nitrogen mineralization and leaching under Miscanthus × giganteus and Zea mays

Research objectives were to compare whether miscanthus ( Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu.) would leach less nitrogen (N) than continue maize ( Zea mays, L.) and how soil net N mineralization (Nmin) may explain observed leaching. The experiment included three factors: 1) cropping system (maize, juvenile miscanthus = 1-2 y old, mature miscanthus = 3-4 y old); 2) N fertilization (0 and 224 kg N ha-1); and 3) environment (four site-years at two locations in Iowa, USA that differed in climate and soil fertility). During the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons a variety of soil measurements, including inorganic soil N (ammonium + nitrate), in situ Nmin, and N leaching were taken to better understand the differences in N cycling dynamics associated with each system.

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries↗
DOE OSTI2024

Pressure-Induced Exciton Formation and Superconductivity in Platinum-Based Mineral Sperrylite

We report a comprehensive study of Sperrylite (PtAs 2 ), the main platinum source in natural minerals, as a function of applied pressures up to 150 GPa. While no structural phase transition is detected from pressure-dependent X-ray measurements, the unit cell volume shrinks monotonically with pressure following the third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. The mildly semiconducting behavior found in pure synthesized crystals at ambient pressures becomes more insulating upon increasing the applied pressure before metalizing at higher pressures, giving way to the appearance of an abrupt decrease in resistance near 3 K at pressures above 92 GPa consistent with the onset of a superconducing phase. The pressure evolution of the calculated electronic band structure reveals the same physical trend as our transport measurements, with a non-monotonic evolution explained by a hole band that is pushed below the Fermi energy and an electron band that approaches it as a function of pressure, both reaching a touching point suggestive of an excitonic state. A Lifshitz transition of the electronic structure and an increase in the density of states may naturally explain the onset of superconductivity in this material.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Fundamental Economic Assessment of Recovering Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals from Acid Mine Drainage Using a Network Sourcing Strategy

In recent years, acid mine drainage (AMD) has emerged as a promising unconventional source of rare earth elements (REEs) and other critical minerals (CMs) such as cobalt and manganese. In this regard, AMD provides a natural heap leaching effect that extracts and concentrates REE/CM from the host strata creating a partially enriched feedstock suitable for downstream extraction, separation, and recovery. While several prior studies have described processes and approaches for the valorization of AMD, very few have described the supply chain and infrastructure requirements as well as the associated economic assessment. To that end, this paper provides a fundamental economic assessment of REE/CM recovery from AMD using a network sourcing strategy in addition to a robust, flexible feedstock separations and refining facility. The methodology of this paper follows that of a typical techno-economic analysis with capital and operating costs estimated using AACE Class IV (FEL-2) guidelines. To demonstrate the range of possible outcomes, four pricing scenarios were modeled including contemporary prices (September, 2021) as well as the minimum and maximum prices over the last decade. In addition, five production scenarios were considered reflecting variations in the product suite, ranging from full elemental separation to magnet REE and CM production only (i.e., Pr, Nd, Tb, Dy, Y, Sc, Co, and Mn). The results of this analysis show that, with the exception of the minimum price scenario, all operational configurations have positive economic indicators with rates of return varying from 25% to 32% for the contemporary price scenario. The optimal configuration was determined to be production of Co, Mn, and all REEs except for mischmetal, which is not recovered. Sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation show that capital cost and HCl consumption are the two major factors influencing rate of return, thus indicating opportunities for future technology development and cost optimization. Implications of the study and a cooperative profit-sharing model for sourcing are also described.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Interactions of Perrhenate (Re(VII)O 4 - ) with Fe(II)-Bearing Minerals

Rhenium (Re) is an extremely rare element, with a crustal abundance of approximately 0.4 parts per billion (ppb) and a sea water concentration of 8.3 parts per trillion (ppt). However, Re concentrations in anoxic marine sediments range from 2 to 184 ppb, which is attributed to reduction of the highly soluble perrhenate ion (Re(VII)O 4 - ) to insoluble Re(IV) species. Anoxic sediments typically contain Fe(II) and sulfide species, which could potentially reduce Re(VII) to Re(IV). In this study, we examined the interactions of KReO 4 with magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ), siderite (FeCO 3 ), vivianite (Fe 3 (PO 4 ) 2 •8H 2 O), green rust (mixed Fe(II)/Fe(III) layered double hydroxide), mackinawite (FeS), and chemically reduced nontronite (NAu-1) using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy to determine the valence state and speciation of Re. Uptake of Re by green rust was rapid, with ~50% associated with the solids within 2 days. In contrast, there was <10% uptake by the other Fe(II) phases over 48 days. Reduction of Re(VII) to Re(IV) was only observed in the presence of green rust, producing clusters of bidentate-coordinated Re(IV)O 6 octahedra.. These results suggest that except for green rust, the potential for other Fe(II)-bearing minerals to act as reductants for ReO 4 - in sedimentary environments requires further investigation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Distributed Real-time Plume Monitoring for Deep Sea Mineral Extraction​

In the emerging industry of deep-sea mining for minerals and deposits (e.g. polymetallic nodules for nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese), more data is required to understand the effects of sediment plume generation and predict the distribution of disturbed sediment. There are two main sources of plume generation, the first being at the active mining site where the “collector” directly removes the top layer of the sea floor. The other is the “midwater plume” consisting of unwanted sediment that was collected during extraction that is pumped back into the aphotic zone. The vast majority of plume generation is caused by the collector, causing detrimental and long-lasting impacts on seafloor ecosystems due to the lack of wave activity or strong currents at the sea floor. Therefore, it is crucial to invest in the infrastructure to support the study and constant monitoring over a large area of the sea floor where plume generation is present. Due to the limited number of usable channels and power requirements, current subsea wireless communications technologies are not well suited to instrumenting the large areas of the sea floor needed to monitor plume migration. The scope of this effort is to transition experimental demonstrations of high-bandwidth, full-duplex scalable underwater laser communications to the seafloor in an open ocean environment. Specifically tackling challenges associated with the dynamic nature of the subsea world, including but not limited to, deployment logistics, sustainability, and range. The goal is to enable the internet of underwater things for deep sea industries by broadening the capabilities of subsea communications. By using high-precision laser transmitters, many of the challenges current subsea optical systems face can be circumvented, such as power consumption, interference, and bandwidth limitations. This approach lends itself to wireless interlinking multi-node networks, in series or parallel, facilitating the implementation of a wide array of sensor types. This interlinking allows all the data gathered from the network to be processed through a single hardline uplink to the surface, lowering the complexity required for near real-time data processing. Additionally, the laser control systems produce metadata that can be used to help characterize the water column between the nodes. Combining data from various sensors such as turbidity, temperature, current velocity with metadata such as beam attenuation and deflection can produce a high-resolution model of sea floor conditions around an active mining zone. The resulting near real-time model can be used to optimize location and flow rate of the mining operation to minimize and quantify the environmental impact.

Mons, Ishan↗
DOE OSTI2021

Data from: Quantifying and correcting for pre-assay CO2 loss in short-term carbon mineralization assays

The active fraction of soil organic carbon is an important component of soil health and often is quickly assessed as the pulse of CO2 released by re-wetting dried soils in short-term (24–72 h) assays. However, soils can lose carbon (C) as they dry and, if soil samples vary in moisture content at sampling, differential C loss during the pre-assay dry-down period may complicate the assay's interpretations. We examined the impact of pre-assay CO2 loss in a long-cultivated agricultural soil at initial moisture contents of 30 %, 50 %, and 70 % water-filled pore space (WFPS). We found that 50 % and 70 % WFPS treatments lost more C during drying than did those in the 30 % WFPS treatment and that dry-down losses led to a 26 %–32 % underestimate of their CO2 pulses. We developed a soil-specific correction factor to account for these initial soil moisture effects. Future C mineralization studies may benefit from similar corrections.

Belanger, Matthew↗
DOE OSTI2021

Quantifying and correcting for pre-assay CO 2 loss in short-term carbon mineralization assays

The active fraction of soil organic carbon is an important component of soil health and often is quickly assessed as the pulse of CO 2 released by re-wetting dried soils in short-term (24–72 h) assays. However, soils can lose carbon (C) as they dry and, if soil samples vary in moisture content at sampling, differential C loss during the pre-assay dry-down period may complicate the assay's interpretations. We examined the impact of pre-assay CO 2 loss in a long-cultivated agricultural soil at initial moisture contents of 30 %, 50 %, and 70 % water-filled pore space (WFPS). We found that 50 % and 70 % WFPS treatments lost more C during drying than did those in the 30 % WFPS treatment and that dry-down losses led to a 26 %–32 % underestimate of their CO 2 pulses. We developed a soil-specific correction factor to account for these initial soil moisture effects. Future C mineralization studies may benefit from similar corrections.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Optimal Membrane Cascade Design for Critical Mineral Recovery Through Logic-based Superstructure Optimization

Critical minerals and rare earth elements play an important role in our climate change initiatives, particularly in applications related with energy storage. Here, we use discrete optimization approaches to design a process for the recovery of Lithium and Cobalt from battery recycling, through membrane separation. Our contribution involves proposing a Generalized Disjunctive Programming (GDP) model for the optimal design of a multistage diafiltration cascade for Li-Co separation. By solving the resulting nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear program model to global optimality, we investigated scalability and solution quality variations with changes in the number of stages and elements per stage. Results demonstrate the computational tractability of the nonlinear GDP formulation for design of membrane separation processes while opening the door for decom-position strategies for multicomponent separation cascades. Future work aims to extend the GDP formulation to account for stage installation and explore various decomposition techniques to enhance solution efficiency.

Ovalle, Daniel↗
DOE OSTI2023

Decision-Making Framework to Evaluate Opportunities for Recovery of Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals in Produced Water Networks

Oil and gas development activities require a significant amount of water. Given the environmental impacts associated with high consumption and subsequent disposal of this water, there is a need for strategies to support effective reuse of, treatment of, and/or resource recovery from this produced water. These streams can contain appreciable concentrations of rare earth elements (REE) and critical minerals (CM) (e.g., Lithium), which are critical for many important applications in electronics, technology, manufacturing, energy, and medicine [1]. Along with REE/CM present in produced water, other waste streams such as fly ash from coal-fired power plants and acid mine discharge present other potential sources for recovery of REE/CM [2-4]. And with increases in demand for REE/CM, the need for recovery from wastewater streams is becoming even more important. There is a need to develop effective decision-making tools to evaluate the economic and environmental potential for REE/CM recovery from produced water networks while supporting the needs of drilling and hydraulic fracturing activities. In this work, we present our progress in developing a decision-making framework to efficiently design and operate produced water networks for REE/CM recovery. Our approach considers REE/CM recovery from produced water streams alongside other potential wastewater sources. The models consider the location and capacity of storage and decentralized treatment processes as well as the design and operation of pipeline and transportation networks to connect different sources and effectively schedule inventories, reuse, and recovery opportunities. We focus on the evaluation of opportunities for REE/CM recovery with treatment constraints on composition and flow. We demonstrate this framework with an illustrative case study that features diverse production sites, storage facilities, transportation, and treatment sites. This proposed framework will be deployed in an open-source software package that is compatible with the PARETO framework to deliver analysis and decision-making tools that allow stakeholders to quantitatively evaluate potential opportunities for REE/CM recovery in produced water networks.

Pulsipher, Joshua↗
DOE OSTI2023

Critical Minerals from Waste Streams in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana, USA

Background/Objectives. Critical minerals (CM) are essential for numerous industrial and defense applications, including green technologies that will help to meet carbon emission reduction goals. Many CM are currently mined and processed in countries that lack stringent environmental and labor regulations. Unconventional sources such as existing industrial waste streams could play a part in building an ethical CM supply chain. Additionally, waste streams created in the extraction and processing of CM could be used for other industrial or commercial purposes, thereby reducing waste and advancing a circular economy. Approach/Activities. The Department of Energy funded Powder River Basin (PRB) CORE-CM project is exploring all aspects of the carbon ore, rare earth element (REE), and CM value chain, including the potential for extraction of CM from industrial waste streams in the basin. Waste streams that have potential as CM feedstocks are being inventoried to assess the concentration of CM in each waste stream and to estimate volume and accessibility. Although basin-specific technologies for extraction of CM are still in development, waste streams that may be produced during these processes are being cataloged and mapped to potential secondary uses. Results/Lessons Learned. Initial studies of the CM potential of PRB coal ash show that this waste stream contains concentrations of greater than 300 ppm total REE (Bagdonas et al., 2022, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews). Moreover, calcium-rich PRB coal ash is amenable to REE extraction (Taggart et al., 2016, Environmental Science and Technology). Wyoming coal is shipped to 28 states, meaning that coal ash produced at power stations across the US represents a potential widespread resource for the extraction of REE. In addition to coal mining and coal fired electricity generation, the PRB is home to other energy industries including oil and gas production, in-situ uranium mining, and bentonite mining. Historically, precious and base metal mining has taken place on the perimeter of the PRB. Waste streams from these industries are currently being evaluated for their CM potential. Assessing the CM resource potential of waste streams could contribute to the development of an ethical CM supply chain. Results from these studies can be replicated for other waste streams, increasing the likelihood of successful creation of circular economies.

Phillips, Erin↗