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| | Maverick Bioworks | Eric Herrera | |
Small Business
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Bioenergy
| I am the CEO of Maverick Bioworks, a small biotech company developing a semi-synthetic enzyme to break down crystalline silicates for enhanced metal extraction. Particularly we are interested in evolving the enzyme for lithium extraction from hard rock deposits (especially spodumene) and for REEs.
Our team has expertise in protein engineering/synthetic biology and is actively looking for academic collaborators for a SBIR grant as well as industrial partnerships where we can test our system on representative ore samples. |
| TX |
| | West Virginia University | Graham Douglas Andrews | |
Academic
|
Other Energy Technologies
| 20+ year expert in the geology of volcanic and igneous rocks, in particular mafic rocks. Recent research and project consultation experience with ex situ enhanced mineralization and non-conventional in situ CO2 mineralization of basalts. Expertise in volcanic stratigraphy and structure, and alteration of mafic rocks at the surface and in the subsurface.
Interested in developing CO2 mineralization potential in nickel laterites and other basalt-derived weathering profiles (lithomarge, bauxites), especially those below typically economic grades but with under-appreciated CM concentrations (Co, Sc, V, etc.) |
| WV |
| | Argonne National Laboratory | Michael Wang | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
Other Energy Technologies
| Argonne has been developing the GREET (greet.es.anl.gov) life cycle analysis model for various DOE programs over the past 27 years. GREET covers LCA of energy systems, vehicle technologies, and building technologies. Under electrification technologies (battery EVs, hydrogen FCVs), GREET covers manufacturing of batteries, EV components (such as motors), fuel cell stacks, hydrogen storage tanks. These technologies require critical materials. GREET already has LCA of an extensive critical materials (lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, etc.). We are expanding GREET to include alternative production venues, especially those from US domestic sources and recycling of spent technologies with critical materials in them. GREET is capable to produce LCA results for energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, criteria air pollutants, and water consumption of critical material production. |
Website: greet.es.anl.gov
Email: mwang@anl.gov
Phone: 630-252-2819
Address: 9700 South Cass Avenue, ESD362/E301, LEMONT, IL, 60439, United States
| IL |
| | University of Utah | Prashant K Sarswat | |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Dr. Prashant K Sarswat is a Research Associate Professor and Director of Materials Synthesis, Testing, and Analysis Facility in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah. He holds a B.S. degree in Mining/Mineral Engineering and M.S and Ph.D. degree in Metallurgical Engineering. He carries a significant experience in various CO2 reactive minerals and other critical minerals. His main interests in area of REEs and critical metals are: 1)Utilization of bio-hydrometallurgical process for REE/CMs recovery; 2) Separation and Enrichment of REEs/CMs from a mixture of REEs/CMs; 3)Electrorefining of rare earth and critical metals; 4)Use of alternative technology of REEs/CMs extraction. It is important to note that traditional separation and purification technologies are inefficient, cause environmental concerns, are slow, complex, and often energy intensive; thus, better separation and energy saving technology is required to meet the present demand for REEs and CMs. Dr. Sarswat had invented various new technologies for REEs/CMs separation such as use of specialized mesoporous materials, frequency assisted electrochemical methods, and force-field separators. These technologies have shown a great potential to minimize the use of various chemicals and solvent extractants. He has been worked as PI or Co-PI of various DOE funded projects, mainly focused on separation, extraction, and recovery. His hydrometallurgy lab is equipped with various state of the art equipment and processing facilities needed for separation technology. Some of those are bench scale bioreactors, pilot scale leaching and electrorefining facility, froth flotation setups, characterization facilities etc. |
| UT |
| | Western Rare Earths | Marty Weems | |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Western Rare Earths is a US mineral exploration company with Rare Earths bearing deposits in Wyoming, Arizona and Nevada. Most notably, its Wyoming and Arizona deposits are known for ultra-low radioactive content of uranium and thorium. These deposits have all 14 naturally occuring lanthanides with approximately 25% of total content being high value magnet REEs (Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb). The company is a Team Member of the Critical Materials Institute managed by the Ames National Laboratory. We are open to being a feedstock provider for use by emerging technologies in the study of Enhanced Mineral Recovery. |
| AZ |
| | ReVolt Battery Technology Corporation | Jan Naidu | |
Small Business
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Transportation
| Currently, industrial-scale reclamation of spent lithium ion rechargeable batteries (LIBs) used in military battery applications based on pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy only recovers valuable metal elements, accompanied by intense energy consumption.
Direct regeneration of spent Li-ion batteries based on the hydrothermal relithiation of cathode materials is a promising next-generation recycling technology. ReVolt provides a closed-loop LIB cathode regeneration chain with high atomic utilization and minimal energy consumption.
The morphology of electrode particles for LCO and 6NCM622 remain almost unchanged during chemical lithiation without unwanted cracks or pulverization, indicating that lithiation treatment will not destroy the integrity of the particles. The raw material costs can be substantially reduced by either replacing the typically employed 4 M LiOH solution by a cost-effective mixture of 0.1 M LiOH and 3.9 M KOH or recycling of the concentrated 4 M LiOH for continuous relithiation processes.
Life cycle analysis demonstrates that our strategy results in reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, leading to an increased potential revenue, particularly when compared with hydro- and pyrometallurgical recycling methods yielding a local supply of battery materials within the United States. |
| TX |
| | Colorado State University | jason quinn | |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Expert in sustainability including life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis. Extensive experience in foundational model development to accurately capture technology performance and coupling with life cycle inventory and economic data for sustainability assessment. Results are used to focus research and development through identifying performance targets to meet sustainability targets. |
| CO |
| | University of Nevada, Reno | Ehsan Vahidi | |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Dr. Vahidi is an interdisciplinary researcher who has crossed traditional boundaries between mining and metallurgical engineering and sustainability sciences. His research takes fundamental environmental engineering and translates this into applied settings, primarily in the mining and metallurgical industries. Given his expertise in carbon footprinting and life cycle assessment (LCA), Dr. Vahidi is currently working with several mining companies to quantify their environmental impacts.
His main interests are as follows:
Waste management and minimization
Recycling and Recovery
The circular economy
Extractive metallurgy for critical materials
Life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) |
| NV |
| | Wildlands Research LLC | Ashley Douds | |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Wildlands Research is a company founded by three geologists who specialize in the geology and geochemistry of fine-grained sediments. We use our extensive background in geology and statistics to predict critical mineral distribution and enrichment in sedimentary rocks using a combination of exploration-based concepts and statistical workflows. |
| PA |
| | Eden | Rafael Villamor | |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Eden is a geothermal technology start-up developing electro-hydraulic fracturing technologies to increase fracture surface area within geologic reservoirs. This technology can be utilized during in-situ carbon sequestration to maximize the chemical reaction surface area for carbon mineralization. We are also developing a new electromagnetic characterization method to identify optimal fractures and fluid flow pathways in the subsurface. Eden was recently received an ARPA-E Open 2021 award to develop our novel electro-hydraulic fracturing method and reservoir characterization techniques for development in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS).
Interest:
We are interested in adapting our technology to assist with in-situ CO2 mineralization and enhanced mineral extraction from geothermal brines and reservoir rock (mafic and ultra-mafic rock formations). We are looking for partners with experience studying in-situ electrochemical reactions in the subsurface to enhance metal separations and recovery.
Capabilities:
We are developing a novel electric fracturing technology to increase subsurface fracture volume. We have achieved electrical stimulation and confirmed permeability enhancement with this technique through laboratory experiments. Our geomechanics laboratory is equipped with high-pressure triaxial cells to conduct hydraulic fracturing and electro-stimulation treatments, core flooding test, material characterization, etc. We have extensive experience in experimental design and equipment fabrication. We also have experience with processing electromagnetic subsurface data for reservoir characterization Our team is validating electric-fracturing technique in a field test later this year.
Eden is interested in collaborating with commercial and academic partners in new projects and R&D for in-situ mineral recovery/CO2 mineralization in the subsurface. We are looking for partners with a strong background in geochemistry and previous working on CO2 mineralization projects. |
| MA |
| | Arizona State University | Klaus Lackner | |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| CO2 carbonation/mineralization; climate smart mining consortia with industry (commutation with electricity and mineral-CO2 reactions); Bio-mediated & Bio-inspired Geotechnics |
| AZ |
| | Savannah River National Laboratory | Dien Li | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Other Energy Technologies
| Critical mineral resource and engineering
Advanced porous materials chemistry
Environmental sciences and engineering
Separation of actinides from liquid nuclear wastes
Extraction and separation of critical metals including rare earth elements from electronic and industrial waste |
Website: none
Email: dien.li@srs.gov
Phone: 803-507-1899
Address: 773-42A, room 237, Aiken, SC, 29808, United States
| SC |
| | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | Eugene S. Ilton | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Other Energy Technologies
| We have more than a decade of experience and over 75 publications concerning reactivity of basalt minerals and expandable clays in variably humidified carbon dioxide from ambient to supercritical pressures and temperatures. In this regard, we have developed a unique multimodal suite of in situ experimental capabilities for investigating reactivity of minerals exposed to aqueous solutions and variably humidified fluids/gasses: Combined infrared and electric impedance spectroscopies quantify solid changes (including amorphous phases), measure concentrations of dissolved species, characterize H2O at mineral surfaces, and monitor diffusive ion mass transport. Flow-through magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy follows mineral transformation processes by detection and characterization of mineral bulk and surface species and reactive intermediates. Flow-through X-ray diffraction identifies and quantifies crystalline reactants and products during mineral transformations. Our high temperature/pressure AFM images mineral growth and dissolution processes at the nanometer to Ångstrom scale on single crystal mineral surfaces to quantitatively measure structurally specific surface transformation rates. The Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) user facility is collocated at PNNL and is equipped with an extensive suite of ex situ instruments for solid phase characterization (e.g., XPS, SEM, atomic resolution TEM (with FIB), NanoSIMS, APT, AFM, XRD, Mössbauer, NMR, EPR, SFG, and Raman). Further, we have extensive computational expertise and resources to help interpret experimental and spectroscopic results using classical and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and electronic structure calculations. |
| WA |
| | ReVolt Battery Technology Corporation | Dr. Evan Erickson | |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| We have extensive experience, including genetic modification capabilities for extremophiles that thrive in relevant environments (particulary low pH, high metal concentrations). continuing the disruptive innovations conducted by the Argonne National Laboratory-led ReCell Center to strengthen the energy independence of the U.S. by increasing the use of domestic sources of recycled battery materials and reducing reliance on foreign sources
Interest: The research team of Dr. Erickson has expertise in State-of-the-art high-energy battery cathodes processing, extractive metallurgy, solution chemistry, surface chemistry, and carbonate chemistry. Interested in collaborating on projects that involve increasing comminution efficiency; bioleaching; CO2 reaction with ore minerals; low-environmental-impact mineral recovery.
Capabilities: Currently working on a process for leaching and recovery of Co and Ni from low-grade ores, without excavation or comminution.
The team welcome collaboration opportunities focusing on the Mineral and rare-earths reclamation and Yield. |
| TX |
| | NaturaFrac, Inc. | Jacob Andersen | |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Development of a dynamic combustion based technology platform for effectively pumping/moving fluids through underground structures as well as generating complex fracture patterns between wellbores. Enhanced surface contact in a very targeted and controlled manner using multi-pulse dynamic pressurization with control over applied strain rates, peak pressurization rates, and durations. Both applications put the horsepower downhole where it is not attenuated and can controllably enhance orebody saturation, fluid sweep efficiency, and maximize mineral recovery in deep, stranded, and otherwise uneconomic deposits. |
| WA |
| | ASHKII, LLC | J Linlor | |
Indian/Native American Tribal Government
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Other Energy Technologies
| EDWOSB Native American business experts in cybersecurity for compliance with CMMCv2 and DFARS 252.204-7021.
With 20+ years of cyber & hacking experience and active security clearances, we work nationwide to secure current networks from hacking or data exfiltration, and we provide a secure environment for email and file sharing of CUI and sensitive information.
We also provide EVMS and project management personnel to assist with deliverables tracking and logistics. |
| NV |
| | Georgia Institute of Technology | Yuanzhi Tang | |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Research focus: Geochemistry and environmental chemistry.
Molecular scale characterization of the speciation, kinetics, and mechanisms of interfacial processes in natural and engineered settings, such as the interactions of minerals, microbes, metals, and nutrients at solid-liquid interfaces. By employing a wide range of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, our highly interdisciplinary research aims to correlate molecular, nano, and microscopic scale information with macroscopic and field scale observations.
Technical expertise: synchrotron X-ray microscopy, spectroscopy, and scattering techniques, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XRF).
Recent research topics: contaminant fate and transport, metal and nutrient cycling, microbe-mediated mineral formation and transformation, resource recovery, application of synchrotron techniques.
Recent research projects: (1) REE recovery from solid wastes such as coal ash and municipal solid waste incineration ash, (2) As and Se speciation in coal fly ash, nutrient and energy recovery from biological wastes, (3) formation, transformation, and reactivity of manganese oxides in natural and engineered settings, (4) coupled Si and C cycle during the transformation of biogenic silica in marine sedimentary environments. |
| GA |
| | University of Idaho | Kristopher Waynant | |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Background: Our group has been investigating a mild metal dissolution process utilizing a redox-active coordinative ligand. The ligand has been shown to bind to metals in either a 1:1 or 2:1 fashion and, depending on the substitution pattern, either undergoes a redox reaction during complexation or stays neutral. The metal-ligand complexes that form can then be electrochemically separated providing a mild and fully recyclable system. We have also explored and seen positive results with preliminary mechanochemical tests (solvent free).
Interest: We think that a mild ligand based process for metal dissolution, electrochemical separation, and recovery could lead to a new, greener direction in mineral recovery, especially from a variety of waste streams. We can then determine how much mineral the technology missed.
Capabilities: As a synthetic chemistry lab - we can make kg quantities of the ligand; do all pure metal testing and full characterization of products. We are looking for folks to partner with to take our chemistry to the next level and work on direct applications in mixed metal scenarios. |
| ID |
| | Battelle | Morgan Evans | |
Non-Profit
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Other Energy Technologies
| Battelle is the largest independent nonprofit applied science and technology organization in the world and provides comprehensive scientific solutions to companies and government agencies across multiple markets, including Energy. Our expertise that would be relevant for this FOA includes Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage and Rare Earth Mineral Extraction and Separations.
1. Rare Earth Elements and Critical Materials – Battelle has several technologies for recovering rare earth elements and critical materials from solid streams. Battelle’s Acid Digestion Process (ADP) is a patented closed-loop leach process used to remove or recover metals from solid streams with minimized waste and environmental footprint compared to traditional extraction methods. Battelle also has experience in biological leaching of rare earth elements from coal-based sources.
2. Carbon Management - Our geoscience and engineering experts leverage broad expertise gained from decades of experience designing and managing carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) programs including those related to saline storage and carbon dioxide-enhanced oil recovery. Battelle’s depth and breadth of experience – including 25 years of carbon sequestration research, reservoir hydraulic testing, geophysical interpretation and geomechanical characterization, , CO2 monitoring, wellbore integrity, modeling, and construction and operation of major CO2 injection projects. |
| OH |
| | Ebb Carbon, Inc. | Matthew Eisaman | |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Ebb Carbon removes acid from the oceans and CO2 from the air. Ebb Carbon intercepts salty water from facilities that process seawater (like desalination plants, salt producers or aquaculture facilities) and uses electrochemistry powered by low-carbon electricity to separate this salty water into two solutions: a base (sodium hydroxide - NaOH); and an acid (hydrochloric acid- HCl).
The basic solution (sodium hydroxide - NaOH) is returned to the ocean, enhancing the ocean’s ability to draw down more atmospheric CO2. The dilute acidic solution (approximately 2.5wt% to 4wt% HCl) is prevented from returning to the ocean and provides a low-carbon, low-cost source of hydrochloric acid that can be used for a range of existing industrial purposes, including enhanced mineral recovery. |
| CA |
| | University of Guelph | Rafael M. Santos | |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Santos's main area of research is in the areas of water and solid waste treatment, environmental remediation, applied mineralogy and geochemistry, and carbon dioxide sequestration. He works to transform waste materials into valuable products and carbon sinks. Some examples of his work include turning steelmaking slags into paper fillers, turning incineration ashes into adsorbents, and turning carbon dioxide into building material. His aim is to reduce the environmental impact of industrial activities while contributing to the sustainable development of society. He is also interested in developing new reactor technologies and processing routes that consume less energy, use less hazardous substances, and are safer to operate. Santos has experimented with the use of ultrasound to speed up reactions, with tubular reactors to better control product properties, and with hot-stage reactions to take advantage of energy that is normally wasted. Santos is looking to apply his skills and expertise to new areas of research relevant to North America and beyond, including sustainable agriculture, the food industry, the mining industry, and preservation of water resources. Key areas of focus include:
1) CO2 capture, utilization, and sequestration. Santos has conducted extensive research on the sequestration of CO2 from industrial emissions sources and from the atmosphere, using mineral carbonation reactions to trap CO2 as solid carbonates.
2) Solid waste treatment and valorization. Santos has also examined using hydrothermal and supercritical reactions to valorize industrial and agricultural solid wastes. He has sought to extract and recover metals from solid wastes, reduce the leaching and instability of solid wastes thereby reducing their environmental impact, and convert solid wastes into building materials, paper fillers, adsorbents and soil amendments. Valorization strategies include ambient weathering, CO2 curing, thin-film/aqueous/sonochemical/hot-stage/supercritical carbonation, and catalytic wet oxidation.
3) Process intensification and multi-scale engineering. Santos and his research team have been exploring process intensification techniques, such as sonication, mechanochemistry and reactive separations, to overcome mass transfer and conversion limitations of solid waste treatment and valorization reactions. |
| Ontario |
| | Cornell University | Buz Barstow | |
Academic
|
Bioenergy
| My lab works on systems and synthetic biology for sustainable energy. We're already very active in the bio-mining space, and in engineered carbon fixation. Really looking for industrial partners. |
| NY |
| | US Strategic Minerals Exploration LLC | Thomas Smith, PE | |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| US Strategic Minerals Exploration is a small group of experienced oil and gas professionals who are advancing the commercialization of CCUS technologies with an emphasis on the extraction of Calcium, Magnesium, and Lithium elements that are typically found in solution in high concentration in many geothermally sourced brines. Given the volume of these brines produced and reinjected each day in the US alone in oil fields under waterflood and EOR processes (CO2 flood), there exists a huge, untapped critical mineral resource that requires much less energy to process using CO2 in a mineral carbonation process. CaCO3 and MgCO3 products that are currently manufactured using surface mined Limestone can be manufactured using Calcium and Magnesium sourced from brine and reacted with CO2 in a pH swing process that is well studied and ready for commercial scale-up. This process is typically referred to a PCC manufacturing and the product has a high value in the current paper, paint, and plastics markets due to its whiteness and strength properties.
We at US Strategic Minerals Exploration are eager to partner with academic, government and other like-minded entities in a concerted effort to make a significant reduction in the CO2 footprint of the minerals extraction and processing industries. Simply put, we have the technical research and the experience to take these proven mineral carbonation concepts and technology to the field where the source of feedstock is logistically beneficial for a commercial scale operation. We have identified projects locations in Utah, North Dakota, and Wyoming that meet the economic hurdles necessary for capital investment and Sec 45Q tax relief. Pilot scale testing of our process is needed, once completed we are ready for full scale up and application to similar brine sources world-wide. |
| CO |
| | Quaise, Inc. | Matt Houde | |
Small Business
|
Other Energy Technologies
| Background: Quaise is commercializing millimeter-wave drilling systems for deep geothermal heat access and applications involving hard rock destruction. Our platform leverages technology developed for nuclear fusion research to generate high power levels of millimeter-wave energy that can be transmitted efficiently over long distances and applied to rock to generate dielectric heating, rapidly vaporizing the rock into metal-oxide byproducts which can then be removed or utilized. Quaise is looking to collaborate with partners in metals extraction and CO2 sequestration to leverage millimeter wave drilling technology for useful applications in those fields.
Interests: mineral comminution, CO2 mineralization, metals extraction.
Capabilities: An engineering and research team with decades of experience in the O&G industry commercializing drilling technologies; expert advisors in RF engineering and fusion research; working relationships with universities and national labs. Currently acquiring the high-power millimeter-wave technology components (gyrotrons, waveguides) needed for a testing facility in Houston, TX; lab experiments are in progress at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. |
| MA |
| | Los Alamos National Laboratory | George Guthrie (Broad LANL Team) | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Other Energy Technologies
| Geochemistry—experimental, analytical, reactive-transport simulation
• fluid-rock reactions
• CO2-water-rock reactions
• CO2 mineralization in the subsurface
• ex-situ CO2 mineralization
• critical materials
• wellbore integrity |
Website: lanl.gov
Email: geo@lanl.gov
Phone: 5056958329
Address: Mail Stop P228, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, United States
| NM |