“We’re developing … technologies to make things better, faster, cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and consuming less resources,” said Bob Fox. https://youtu.be/meZzuZ_ftz8?si=lZXHWdBJr8qJKFAY Guest: Bob Fox Title: Directorate Fellow, Idaho National Labs Summary: President Trump signed an executive order in March directing an immediate increase in domestic critical mineral production. But directing and doing are two different things. The scientists at Idaho National Labs have been on the front lines of critical mineral extraction for decades and have often led the development of new technologies that make that extraction ...

Meanwhile, American firms are revving up new methods to process and recycle rare earth minerals. Photo: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images By Leslie Eastman Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 09:00pm In April, I reported that China imposed significant export restrictions on seven types of rare earth elements (samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium) as part of its response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The export games continued this week as China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology jointly announced an updated version of the ...

More federal support can also accelerate promising efforts that are already underway to find viable domestic supply alternatives. The Idaho National Laboratory is leading the development of integrated separation and processing systems for rare earth–rich ore bodies, such as those at the Sheep Creek deposit in Montana. Notably, recent geological assessments at Sheep Creek suggest the site contains the highest concentrations of gallium found in any known U.S. deposit. Private sector partners such as the U.S. Critical Materials Corporation are actively seeking to scale this discovery into commercial production. ...

Crowley Adit #3 at Sheep Creek, Montana, showing banded carbonatite exposed near the top of the right rib. Credit: US Critical Materials. Staff Writer | June 10, 2025 | 4:40 pm U.S. Critical Materials Corp. and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have entered into a Phase II Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to establish a pilot-scale processing plant capable of producing rare earths domestically. The facility will process high-grade ore from the company’s flagship Sheep Creek deposit in Montana, which holds critical minerals and rare earths including ...

Ancylite mineralization. U.S. Critical Materials Jun 5, 2025. By Design & Development Today Staff Environmentally Responsible Demonstration Facility to be Built on Idaho National Laboratory Campus SALT LAKE CITY – US Critical Materials Corp. and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are taking action to secure America’s access to critical minerals and rare earth elements — resources used for the nation’s defense, energy independence, and technological leadership. Rare earths are used for advanced military systems, including fighter jets, missile guidance systems, radar, and electronic warfare capabilities. US Critical Materials ...

Image: U.S. Critical Materials U.S. Critical Materials has confirmed what it calls the highest-grade deposit of neodymium, a rare earth element used in electric motors, ever reported in the United States. The Salt Lake City-based company said Thursday that its prime Sheep Creek project in Montana holds an average neodymium concentration of 1.2% or 12,000 parts per million (ppm), a substantial grade for this strategic element. The deposit, independently verified by Activation Laboratories, could become a vital domestic source of neodymium as the West strives for less ...