Replacing commercial acid with acidic waste enables researchers to improve nickel extraction efficiency, lower projected costs, and improve process economics.

Localized gradients in magnetic fields have long-range effects on the concentration of rare earth ions in solution, facilitating field-driven extraction of critical minerals.

Studying a series of rare earth element compounds revealed differences in their magnetic behavior that will be leveraged for separations.

In a recent study, PNNL researchers found that noncrystalline mineral surfaces can bind microbial residues to build soil organic matter.

Nanoscale domains of magnetically susceptible critical materials encounter enhanced magnetic interactions under external magnetic fields, providing a promising new avenue for separations.

The size of graphene oxide sheets affects the ability of assembled membranes and adsorbents to separate rare earth elements.

A PNNL team has developed an energy- and chemical-efficient method of separating valuable critical minerals from dissolved solutions of rare earth element magnets.

Surface manganese mining from nodules in South Dakota is now possible with a new scalable selective precipitation process.

Cobalt substitution for magnesium in a model mafic mineral dramatically slows reaction with carbon dioxide to form a cobalt-doped carbonate.

Precipitation with sodium hydroxide in a flow-gel device enables the rapid extraction of magnesium from seawater in a new scalable process.

A cross-institutional team of scientists developed PeakQC, a new software tool for automated quality control of mass spectrometry data.

The atomic-level distribution of nickel and cobalt in forsterite depends on the concentration of the different elements.

The surface oxygen functionality of graphene oxide may be tuned using ultraviolet light, affecting how differently charged ions move through the material.

A team of researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory developed a new and flexible software tool called “Advanced Spectra PCA Toolbox.”

Practical decontamination of industrial wastewater depends on energy-efficient separations. This study explored using ionic liquids as part of the process, enabling efficient electrochemical separation from aqueous solutions.

New apps help researchers with statistical analyses of data.

A simple gel-based system separates metals ions from a model solution of dissolved battery electrodes without the need for specialty chemicals, membranes, or toxic solvents.

A novel electrode functionalization strategy enables efficient removal of toxic heavy metals from wastewater.

A team of researchers from PNNL provided technical knowledge and support to test a suite of techniques that detect genetically modified bacteria, viruses, and cells.

A poem inspired by radioactive tank waste—“Can a Scientist Dream it Alone?”—was awarded first place in the Department of Energy’s Poetry of Science Art Contest.