The Elements of Innovation Discovered

Articles written by K. Warner


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  • American Battery CEO Ryan Melsert on stage at Argonne National Lab.

    DOE team-up on battery and EV workforce

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 18, 2024

    American Battery Technology Company is working with industry partners to develop EV and battery workforce. Public and private industry partners from every sector of the electric vehicle supply chain have been selected to establish a real-world training environment to foster the next generation of battery and EV personnel in a new U.S. energy manufacturing workforce. At the top of their industry representing battery recycling is American Battery Technology Company (ABTC),... Full story

  • Red building with Rio Tinto logo.

    Rio Tinto's Centre for Future Materials

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 17, 2024

    Launched with Imperial College London as part of an energy transition acceleration program. The global transition to renewable energy will require significant growth in the production and supply of metals and minerals vital to its generation, use, and storage of electricity. The AI boom, increased urbanization, electrification of transportation, and reshoring of mineral production are all playing a role in the growth of a fast-paced and transformative materials industry. As... Full story

  • Eagle feathers raining down on panda and Russian bear in suits.

    Talon awarded defense funds for nickel

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 17, 2024

    DOD invests $2.5 million from the 2024 Defense Appropriations Act for research and development. Talon Metals Corp. is being awarded a $2.47 million research and development contract from the Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) through its wholly owned subsidiary Talon Nickel (USA) LLC, to support new approaches for extracting nickel, cobalt, and iron from domestic sulfide ores and tailings. DLA will provide the funding over a 15-month period for Talon to... Full story

  • A core of deep blue iron ore from the Hamersley Province.

    Australia's 55 billion tons of iron ore

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 17, 2024

    World's largest deposit could rewrite geological history and lock the country in as industry leader. As global demand for iron continues to rise, geologists in Australia have uncovered the largest iron ore deposit ever documented in the Hamersley province of Western Australia, challenging long-held theories about Earth's mineral formation. The region is already home to some of the richest established iron ore reserves on Earth, with the scale and value of this discovery... Full story

  • Handshake on Spanish flag, with sleeves colored like European and Chinese flags.

    Stellantis to build EV batteries in Spain

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 16, 2024

    Teams up with CATL to build $4.3 billion large-scale lithium iron phosphate battery plant. Automaker Stellantis, producer of leading automotive brands including Chrysler, Dodge, FIAT, Jeep, and others, plans to build a $4.3 billion (4.1 billion euro) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in northeastern Spain with Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL). The two industry leaders have a long-term collaboration via a non-binding memorandum... Full story

  • Toy pirate with copper buttons, wire hook and epaulets, recycling symbol on hat.

    Copper pirates leave America in the dark

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 10, 2024

    Leaving cities dark and businesses in ruin, the skyrocketing demand for recycled copper has a seedy underbelly. The Upper Midwest Chapter of Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), a trade group representing scrap metal workers, has sued the Minnesota Department of Commerce, alleging that a new law imposing a $250 license fee involving copper recyclers meant as a "barrier to entry" could hinder the majority of recycling efforts without deterring copper wire thieves. The Copper...

  • Zeta Energy battery pouch with yellow label.

    Stellantis, Zeta Energy's Li-sulfur batteries

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 10, 2024

    Collaboration to develop lithium-sulfur EV batteries announced. A collaboration between Stellantis and Zeta Energy aims to develop a lithium-sulfur electric vehicle battery that is lighter but delivers the same usable energy as contemporary lithium-ion batteries – enabling greater range, enhanced performance and the potential to improve charging speed by up to 50% – reducing range anxiety, the top reason potential buyers in the automotive space are reluctant to go all-electric... Full story

  • Exploded rendering of triple-layered composite.

    Next-gen electromagnetic shielding is here

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 9, 2024

    Capable of absorbing 99% of multi-frequency EM waves, improves electronics performance. Electromagnetic waves produced by electronics can generate unwanted currents or voltages within the circuits of nearby devices, disrupting normal operation; this phenomenon is called electromagnetic interference (EMI) and can manifest as performance degradation, data corruption, or system failure, depending on the strength of the interfering frequency and the sensitivity of the electronics... Full story

  • Illustrated map of Madagascar, uranium yellowcake next to Toliara marked with X.

    Madagascar greenlights rare earth mine

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 9, 2024

    Lifts suspension holding back development at Energy Fuels' Toliara critical minerals project. With approval from the Malagasy Council of Ministers, Energy Fuels, one of the largest uranium producers in the United States, is resuming its Toliara project in southwest Madagascar after a five-year suspension of development. "The lifting of the suspension by the Malagasy Government is a very significant step in the development of the Toliara rare earths, titanium, and zirconium... Full story

  • Illustration of a Mars astronaut riding vehicle with fuel station in background.

    Mars could be a rocket fuel waystation

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 6, 2024

    Study suggests Martian rocks may be saturated with fuel-building ingredients. Onsite production of materials such as fuel and construction resources have been under study to extend the distances and livability of space exploration. Rockets that can make or collect fuel can go farther, and astronauts that don't need to bring their own tools and building materials can stay in space longer. This use of the surrounding environment to produce new materials has its own discipline... Full story

  • Rendering of a laser-triggered fusion reaction within a shielded space.

    Carbon fiber cathodes aid nuclear fusion

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Space-age cathodes have what it takes to power modular nuclear fusion reactors here on Earth. Carbon fiber cathodes were initially designed to withstand extreme conditions found in aerospace and defense applications. Now they may be a key ingredient in the next generation of plentiful and affordable clean energy. KULR, a provider of advanced thermal management solutions, recently announced the development of proprietary carbon fiber cathodes for a prominent nuclear fusion...

  • Artist rendering of silver, gold, copper ore icons with Earth AI logo.

    AI discovers palladium system in Australia

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Earth AI and Legacy Minerals make unexpected palladium discovery in New South Wales. Exploration and joint venture partners Legacy Minerals and Earth AI announced the discovery of one of the largest palladium systems in Australia using Earth AI's proprietary artificial intelligence and predictive mineral exploration technology. In the Southwestern Slopes of New South Wales, Australia, in a mineral-rich part of the Lachlan Fold Belt is an area called the Fontenoy Project....

  • Artist rendering of piles of rare earths with overlapping ReElement logo.

    ReElement, POSCO forge rare earth alliance

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Commercial partnership to close the loop on a circular North American rare earth magnet supply chain. ReElement Technologies Corp., a leading rare earth and critical battery element recycler, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with POSCO International, a global leader in steel production and advanced materials. This powerhouse team-up promises to supercharge the North American landscape of clean energy infrastructure, national security, and commercial...

  • Hands cupping ash over a background of coal.

    Ash to treasure: REEs found in coal waste

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Coal ash waste stream might become feedstock for extracting much-needed domestic rare earth elements. The U.S. has relied almost entirely on imports for its supply of rare earth elements (REEs) – nearly 75% of which comes from China, whose geopolitical tensions with the West have put several critical mineral supply chains onto shaky ground. Meanwhile, at a special landfill in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, researchers have discovered massive potential for this suite of elements h...

  • Brilliant Earth sets net-zero gem targets

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Global leader in ethically sourced fine jewelry confirms official Science Based Targets initiative verification. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) develops criteria with public consultation and global experts to develop standards for businesses, outlining what they need to do to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and how quickly, to limit global temperature increases to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius and preventing the worst effects of climate change predicted by...

  • Black heat shielding on the Shuttle Endeavor’s nose and emergency exit.

    Sierra Space and DOE fireproof spaceflight

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Silicon-carbide exterior tiles for reusable commercial spacecraft withstand the fiery temperatures of traversing Earth's atmosphere. Leading commercial space and defense company Sierra Space announced the results of a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to create new silicon-carbide-based exterior tiles – called a thermal protection system – for reusable commercial spacecraft. Atmospheric re-entry exposes a craft to bla...

  • Large manganese particle seen by a scanning electron microscope.

    Manganese could bring down battery costs

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Super-sized manganese particles might be able to cheaply and efficiently replace nickel and cobalt in battery cathodes. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory experts are developing a new process that could help make abundant (and cheap) manganese a contender to replace nickel and cobalt in energy storage for renewables, personal electronics, and electric vehicles. Nickel and cobalt are essential components in many clean energy technologies and are usually sourced from limited...

  • Row of smoking industrial chimney stacks at a power station during sunset.

    Turn CO2 into ethanol using cobalt, copper

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Scientists have discovered a way to turn greenhouse gas into useful alcohol using a cobalt- and copper-coated electrode. As many global industrial processes continue to spill carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the two key carbon-reduction approaches are an overhaul of conventional practices by adopting green technology that reduces emissions at the source and mechanically removing CO2 from the air. Circular systems that help create a market for this recaptured CO2 are needed...

  • Artist rendering of silver nanospheres on a hexagonal grid of carbon.

    Unveiling the black art of silver catalysts

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Scientists discover why silver nanoparticles on carbon are 200 times more effective than their pure equivalents. Precious metals like silver, platinum, and palladium have acted as essential industry catalysts, their properties enabling unique chemical reactions quickly and efficiently. When in nanoparticle form and supported by a carbon base, the catalytic properties of these precious metals increase dramatically without science knowing why – until now. Researchers at TU W...

  • Hand using a magnifying glass to burn a spot on a globe showing Myanmar, China.

    Myanmar REE mining halts, prices soar

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Half the world's heavy rare earth production grinds to a halt amidst civil war. Myanmar's top exports have long been oil and natural gas, followed by fruits and vegetables, wood, fish, clothing, and rubber. Its main export partnerships are with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Today, this small country has found itself to be an essential source of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), vital ingredients for the magnets used in electric vehicles a...

  • Rendering of capsule-shaped LPAS separation device.

    Plasma recovers 95% spent battery material

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Princeton working to scale process of efficiently recycling EV batteries through a spin-off company. As electric vehicle industry players focus on integrating and scaling efficient recycling into the battery supply chain, circular solutions are coming to play a vital role in monetizing waste streams. The National Academy of Science and Engineering estimates that the number of used EV batteries available will increase to 150 million in the year 2035. In 2020 alone, around...

  • Flags of France, Italy, Canada, Japan, UK, Germany, U.S. in a row.

    US, Allies seek critical mineral standards

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    With ambitious technological and financial cooperation, Western allies could produce enough critical minerals to meet climate goals. In the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, nations quickly discovered the perils of an uneven distribution of production and processing capabilities in the guise of globalization. Phrases like "near-shoring" and "friend-shoring" led discussions of a green economy as remedies to the trade imbalance between the United States and the People's Republic...

  • Helicopter flying an aeromagnetic survey, dangling sensors.

    Scanning Wyoming for mineral treasures

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Aerial scans of the Earth's crust 3,300 feet below ground are being used to seek out potential critical mineral deposits in Cowboy State. Using an array of sensors attached to aircraft flying overhead, geologists are scanning thousands of feet below Wyoming's surface with electromagnetic surveys – a prospecting method that reads the strength of the earth's subsurface magnetic field to identify likely locations of valuable metals and minerals like vanadium, niobium and t...

  • Flag of Norway half-submerged in the ocean.

    Norway reverses deep-sea mining decision

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 2, 2024

    Norway's attempt to open up a U.K.-sized section of Arctic seabed to mineral exploration and potential mining has been halted – for now. Several official studies and commercial forays into deep-sea mining have discovered a wealth of vital energy transition minerals secreted at the bottom of the world's oceans, globally available and hotly contested. Countries large and small are now peering eagerly into the depths of territorial and international waters to find incalculable a... Full story

  • Rendering of the backside of a silvery metallic robotic hand.

    Soft robotic muscle lifts 1000x own weight

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Nov 12, 2024

    Researchers have engineered a nanomaterial flexed by rare earth magnets that is as soft as skin but strong as steel. The studies of robotics, biomedical engineering, and wearable technology all intersect over the immensely complex task of replicating human musculature – creating materials strong enough to replace or enhance human limbs, flexible and soft enough to manipulate delicate objects or complete precise tasks in everyday life, during space exploration or on a b... Full story

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