Enhancing and Diversifying Supply News

Seven ORNL inventions licensed to Texas-based lithium recovery firm

CMI news from Partnerships at ORNL about licensing technologies for lithium extraction and conversion from brines and minerals to Element3, a company based in Texas that focuses on extracting lithium from wastewater produced by oil and gas production.

image of two people shaking hands:Hood Whitson, chief executive officer of Element3, and Cynthia Jenks, associate laboratory director for the Physical Sciences Directorate, shake hands during the Element3 licensing event at ORNL on May 3, 2024. Credit: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Green Car Congress: CMI Hub researchers develop mechanochemical process for efficient extraction of lithium: MELLT

Green Car Congress story about research by CMI researchers at Ames National Laboratory: CMI Hub researchers develop mechanochemical process for efficient extraction of lithium: MELLT

image of five metal balls in a cup with powder: Ball milling chamber contents: spodumene, reactant, and steel balls.

Interesting Engineering: New mechanochemical process revolutionizes lithium extraction

Interesting Engineering story about research by CMI researchers at Ames National Laboratory: New mechanochemical process revolutionizes lithium extraction

image of two people wearing laboratory coats: Ihor Hlova (back) and Tyler Del Rose (front) placing the ball milling chamber into the machine for processing.

AZO Materials: Using mechanochemistry to revolutionize lithium extraction

AZO Materials story about research by CMI researchers at Ames National Laboratory: Using mechanochemistry to revolutionize lithium extraction

CleanTechnica: Scientists are shaking up lithium extraction with a different kind of chemistry

CleanTechnica story about research by CMI researchers at Ames National Laboratory: Scientists are shaking up lithium extraction with a different kind of chemistry

ORNL: Chemists invent a more efficient way to extract lithium from mining sites, oil fields, used batteries

At CMI Team member Oak Ridge National Laboratory, chemists have invented a more efficient way to extract lithium from mining sites, oil fields, used batteries

CMI partner scales new extractant for REE separation trials

CMI Team member Marshallton Research Laboratories worked with CMI researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory to develop a technology to help separate rare earth elements. Marshallton licensed the technology, and now is working on what comes next.

A once-shuttered California mine is trying to transform the rare earth industry

This media story describes CMI Affiliate MP Materials.

Lithium extraction: prime time for brine

Story on lithium extraction includes Critical Materials Institute (CMI) work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory with sorbents

Mini hydro company raises $18M to generate power in canals

CMI's award-winning, licensed technology shown in action

CMI technology at work in water turbines by CMI Team member Emrgy