Critical Materials Institute

The Critical Materials Institute is a U.S. DOE Energy Innovation Hub led by Ames Laboratory, and supports early-stage research to advance innovation in U.S. manufacturing. CMI seeks ways to eliminate and reduce reliance on rare-earth metals and other materials critical to the success of clean energy technologies.

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Focus Areas

Diversifying Supply

Developing Substitutes

Reuse and Recycling

Crosscutting Research

News & Highlights

All News | All Highlights

In the News

American Manganese announces purity from recycling test results on EV battery materials for DOE CMI project

Research Highlight

Electrochemical leaching of cobalt and lithium from nickel-rich battery sources

In the News

INL: Sustainable e-recycling process economically competitive with current practices

Controlled Atmospheric Materials Processing System

News Release

Rare-earths experts at CMI debut a unique new research capability

Image of Ramesh Bhave, in research laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

In the News

STEM Magazine From Trash to Treasure: Electronic waste is mined for rare earth elements

CMI Speeds Innovation

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Invention Disclosures

R&D 100 Awards

U.S. Patents

Licensed Technologies

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The Critical Materials Institute focuses on technologies that make better use of materials and eliminate the need for materials that are subject to supply disruptions.

CMI technology is available for licensing

Going from an idea to a licensed technology in just two years is exactly what CMI is intended to do, and we've proven we can do it.
”

Alex King

CMI Founding Director