U.S. Department of Energy Funds Breakthrough Technology for Domestic Rare-Earth Metals Production
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $10 million across seven projects aimed at advancing the United States' ability to produce key rare-earth metals domestically. Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) will lead one of these projects, focusing on developing energy-efficient and low-cost technologies for domestic 'heavy' rare-earth metals production. These metals, including dysprosium and terbium, are crucial for high-performance permanent magnets used in military drones and electric vehicles. Currently, the U.S. does not produce these metals, relying entirely on foreign suppliers, which poses a national security risk. The CWRU team, led by Professor Rohan Akolkar, will leverage patented molten salt electrolysis technology to extract heavy rare-earth metals from domestically found minerals. This process involves using electrical current to separate precious ingredients. The project aims to replace antiquated, inefficient, and hazardous overseas chemical operations with new domestic manufacturing... 
