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.

Peter Heine, senior advisor in the Strategic Threat Analysis group at PNNL, recently travelled to Brussels, Belgium, to support the World Customs Organization's Operation Stingray.

A team of researchers at PNNL has received the 2025 National Nuclear Security Administration CIO Award for developing an innovative solution to enhance secure communications.

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

David Heldebrant was selected for the 2025 Distinguished Service Award from the American Chemical Society Division of Energy & Fuels, recognizing his impact to energy and fuels chemistry.

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

Scientists have tapped AI and powerful computing to speed up how quickly officials are able to learn important details about nuclear events.

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.

For PNNL’s Jonathan Evarts, Hope Lackey, and Erik Reinhart, this partnership with WSU opened doors and provided opportunities for their scientific careers to flourish.

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.

Staff at PNNL recently traveled to Cyprus to facilitate a multilateral workshop on chemical forensics investigations hosted by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism.

Staff at PNNL recently visited the University of Texas at San Antonio to deliver lectures on international law, arms control, and nuclear nonproliferation during Nuclear Policy Week.

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.

PNNL staff scientist selected as a guest editor for a special issue titled “Ligand-Metal Complementarity in Rare Earth and Actinide Chemistry,” in the well-known journal Inorganic Chemistry.

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.

Three PNNL-affiliated researchers have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society.