Critical Materials Innovation Hub News

CMI project lead receives Hero of Industry Award

CMI Project Lead Patrick Zhang, Florida Industrial & Phosphate Research Institute (FIPR Institute) received the annual Hero of Industry Award from the Florida Section of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration.

image of plaque with a seal and text: The Florida Section of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Presents this Hero of Industry Award to Patrick Zhang in recognition and appreciation of exemplary professional service which has contributed significantly to the continuing vitality of the Mining Industry, 2025

Stars of ESC2025 in the Spotlight: Ikenna Nlebedim

Momentum Technologies expands platform to support national supply chain for rare earth elements

Momentum Technologies Expands Platform to Support National Supply Chain for Rare Earth Elements: Initially the MSX technology was developed by CMI researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is licensed to Momentum, which has continued to develop the process as it scales it from laboratory bench to commercial scale.

CMI project lead named in World's Top 2% Scientist list

CMI Project Lead Patrick Zhang, Florida Industrial & Phosphate Research Institute (FIPR Institute) and Florida Polytechnic University, is named to the Stanford University's prestigious World's Top 2% Scientists annual list.

Azo Materials: New technology for processing rare earth metals licensed to Principal Mineral

Azo Materials pick-up on Ames Lab news release: https://www.ameslab.gov/news/cmi-technology-for-rare-earth-processing-licensed-to-principal-mineral

CMI technology for rare earth processing licensed to Principal Mineral

Researchers have developed a new technology for processing rare earth metals that has now been licensed to Principal Mineral.

Licensed ORNL technology makes magnets with fewer critical minerals

Sharing story about CMI technologies at Oak Ridge National Laboratory licensed.

ORNL: Licensed ORNL technology makes magnets with fewer critical minerals

CMI Team member Oak Ridge National Laboratory shared story of licensing CMI technology for making magnets with fewer critical minerals

image of brown powder is a rare earth oxide recovered from scrap metal, photo credit Carlos Jones, ORNL, US Department of Energy

Smarter Alloy Design, Now at Your Fingertips: Introducing TAOS from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering an introduction to TAOS - The Alloy Optimization Software, which was developed by CMI researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Missouri mining could get a boost from Trump tariffs and trade tiffs with China and Congo

CMI leaders and researchers at Missouri S&T and their research are described in the article "Missouri mining could get a boost from Trump tariffs and trade tiffs with China and Congo"

image of two people in a research laboratory