Aqua Metals selected for U.S. DOE grant project

Aqua Metals announced its collaboration in a significant U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, grant project. As part of a consortium led by Pennsylvania State University, Aqua Metals will play a crucial role in the $4.99M initiative aimed at establishing a fully domestic supply chain for critical minerals essential for modern technologies, from electric vehicles to renewable energy systems. The DOE-funded project, titled the Alliance for Critical Mineral Extraction and Production from Coal-Based Resources for Vitality Enhancement in Domestic Supply Chains, seeks to innovate in the extraction and recovery of rare earth elements and other critical materials from coal, coal wastes, and coal by-products. This initiative aligns with national goals to reduce reliance on foreign critical minerals, which are vital for U.S. economic security and technological leadership. The project aims to remediate environmental damage caused by acid mine drainage while extracting valuable minerals. This approach cleans up legacy environmental issues and also reduces the need for new mining operations, building a circular economy.