However, I suppose you know better… silly government scientists!
https://cmi.ameslab.gov/what-CMI-does
[font face=Serif][font size=5]What CMI Does[/font]
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1. What is the problem? Lack of secure supply chains for some raw materials critical to clean energy technologies hinders U.S. manufacturing and energy security.
These critical materials (a) provide essential and specialized properties to advanced engineered products or systems for which there are no easy substitutes and (b) are subject to supply risk.
Rare-earth elements, with essential roles in high-efficiency motors and advanced lighting, are the most prominent of the critical materials today. Rare-earth metals and alloys are not manufactured in the United States, despite geologic resources, because the processes required to separate individual rare earths from one another and then convert them to metals and alloys are inefficient, costly, polluting, and potentially damaging to worker health and safety. The solution is innovation throughout the rare-earth supply chain.
Other critical materials today are lithium in batteries and tellurium in photovoltaic materials.
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4. What will CMI accomplish? Within its first five years, CMI will develop at least one technology adopted by U.S. companies in each of three areas:
a. Diversify and expand production—(i) design separations agents to improve production efficiency, reduce costs, minimize environmental impact and thus enhance the commercial viability of new rare-earth mines, (ii) develop transformative and environmentally benign technologies that make possible domestic manufacturing of rare-earth metals, alloys, and other products, and (iii) design new chemical extractants that will transform the recovery of lithium from highly concentrated brines.
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