The U.S. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is helping to create the Critical Minerals Leadership Academy (CMLA) with the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, with the latter serving as host to the event.
The gathering convened graduate students and early career professionals recently to open dialogue about critical minerals and materials (CMM), including rare earth elements (REEs).
This past summer marked the inaugural CMLA program at UW, which was hosted by the university’s School of Energy Resources. Nineteen people participated in lectures, workshops and field excursions throughout Wyoming. NETL’s Scott Montross, one of the Lab’s technology managers overseeing the Critical Minerals and Materials program, was joined by his NETL colleague Tom Tarka in presenting lectures on CMM supply chains, geologic resource assessment and modeling, and mining techniques, along with many other CMM experts.
“By getting involved early in the planning process, we were able to leverage our expertise to help shape the program’s content and ensure its alignment with broader U.S. Department of Energy critical minerals initiatives,” said Montross.
“To meet these goals, we will need to cultivate world-class experts and build foundational collaborations across the nation. The CMLA aims to do just that – assemble future leaders with diverse backgrounds to build a strong domestic critical minerals network and contribute to the build-out of the United States CMM industry.”
Samuel Oswald, member of the cohort and U.S. policy advisor, added that CMLA was the perfect educational experience: consolidating the entire critical mineral valuation chain down to the need-to-knows.
“It was the perfect networking experience: connecting a curated group of engaged and impactful scientists, geologists, government officials, academics and businesspeople,” he added.
NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratory dedicated to innovating and accelerating the nation’s energy solutions in hydrocarbon, geothermal energy and critical minerals production. With research sites in Albany, Oregon; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, NETL operates as one laboratory to create advanced energy technologies that support DOE’s mission and enable affordable, reliable and secure energy to fuel human prosperity.