Diversifying Supply

The CMI focus area Diversifying Supply researches how to expand sources of rare earth elements and critical materials, develop transformative processes and find new uses for co-products. Researchers leading projects in Diversifying Supply are located at Ames Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Colorado School of Mines.

News & Highlights

All News | All Highlights

Proposed processing of zinc ferrite residue from zinc smelting yields separate streams for the critical materials Ga, In, and Ge while also producing revenue from increased Zn recovery.

Research Highlight

A new method to recover In, Ga, and Ge from zinc smelting

Resemblance between the naturally occurring and the computed crystal structure morphology (left). The 2D free energy surface as a function of the distance (z) from the central layer and the number of water-water hydrogen bonds (n), highlighting the multilayered water structure and the associated exchange timescales at the water-xenotime interface(right).

Research Highlight

Simulations reveal precisely how water and ligands bind to the surface of a rare earth mineral

Illustration of conceptual design of surface-active molecules (collectors) that are positioned to provide an optimal binding with the (100) surface of bastnaesite, the natural crystal morphology, which is shown as a chiseled at edges hexagonal prism.

Research Highlight

Computer-aided design of bis-phosphinate ligands for selective adsorption on bastnaesite

Al-Ce alloy-based turbocharger compressor wheels from 6” to 0.3” produced by Additive Manufacturing using newly designated aluminum-cerium alloy.

Research Highlight

Al-Ce alloys designated by Aluminum Association

Flotation experiment, showing bastnaesite-rich froth

Research Highlight

Improved flotation of bastnaesite from ore promises greater rare earth output from mines

Research Projects

CMI Project 1.1.11: Lithium extraction and conversion from brines

Parans Paranthaman at Oak Ridge National Laboratory leads the CMI project "Lithium extraction and conversion from brines"

CMI Project 1.1.12: Critical material recovery from ores and lean sources

Vyacheslav Bryantsev at Oak Ridge National Laboratory leads the CMI Project "Critical material recovery from ores and lean sources"

CMI Project 1.1.13: Recovery of critical materials as by-products

Corby Anderson at Colorado School of Mines leads the CMI project "Recovery of critical materials as by-products"

CMI Project 1.1.14: Biologically-mediated recovery of tellurium from mine waste

Yoshiko Fujita at Idaho National Laboratory leads the CMI project "Biologically-Mediated Recovery of Tellurium from Mine Waste"

CMI Project 1.2.11: New in-silico molecular design methods for improved separations

Marilu Perez at Ames Laboratory leads the CMI Project "New in-silico molecular design methods for improved separations"

CMI Project 1.2.12: Low-temperature electrochemical synthesis of graphite

Sheng Dai at Oak Ridge National Laboratory leads the CMI Project "Low-temperature electrochemical synthesis of graphite"

CMI Project 1.2.14: Enhanced separation of critical materials

Kevin Lyon at Idaho National Laboratory leads the CMI project "Enhanced separation of critical materials"

CMI Project 1.3.12: Science-enabling diverse value chain product from aluminum-cerium alloys

Orlando Rios at University of Tennessee Knoxville leads the CMI project "Science-Enabling Diverse Value Chain Product from Aluminum-Cerium Alloys"

casting of novel CMI aluminum-cerium alloy