Each project will receive up to US$150,000. The designs will encompass system configurations, equipment features, performance characteristics, and associated costs for systems with a capacity of 1-3 metric tonnes daily of mixed rare earth oxides (REOs) or rare earth salts (RESs) and other critical minerals (CMs) in some designs.
The DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory will be managing the projects by Battelle Memorial Institute; BioCarbon Technologies; Concurrent Technologies; Energy Fuels Resources; MATERIA USA; MP Mine Operations; Tetra Tech (for two projects); Texas Mineral Resources; University of North Dakota; UPSHOTS; West Virginia University Research Corporation; and Winner Water Services.
The conceptual designs of each project include an option for up to a US$2 million feasibility study.
"A secure, reliable, and sustainable domestic supply of CMs and REEs is essential to the continued health of the Nation's energy and electronics industries and is an important contributor to national security," the DOE said.
