Back to Top ↑2026 Symposium Sessions |
| Tuesday March 10 |
| 10:30 | Opportunities for Innovation in Critical Materials Supply Chains |
| 1:30 | Innovations in Magnet Materials and Manufacturing Techniques |
| 4:00 | Critical Materials I - Posters |
| Wednesday March 11 |
| 8:30 | Advances in Critical Mineral Separation Technologies |
| 1:30 | Innvoations in Critical Materials |
| 4:00 | Critical Materials II - Posters |
| Thursday March 12 |
| 8:30 | Extraction of Critical Minerals from Diverse Sources |
| 1:15 | Critical Materials - Workshop (open to all conference attendees) |
|
2026 Symposium Program |
| Tuesday March 10 |
|
| 10:30 | Opportunities for Innovation in Critical Materials Supply Chains | Marriott State D |
| Session chair: Alison Fritz, National Energy Technology Laboratory |
| Evolution of Key Performance Indicators for Critical Materials Technology Development and Derisking at the U.S. Department of Energy
J. Mehta, P. Thallapally, U.S. Department of Energy, US |
| Predicting Supply Chain Disruptions Across Critical Materials Value Segments
S. Kulkarni, L. Toba, Idaho National Laboratory; Critical Materials Innovation Hub, US |
| Industry Track Record in Ramping-up Critical Mineral Projects – An update
N. Verbaan, SGS Canada, CA |
| Unlocking Domestic Critical Mineral Supply: An AI-Powered Tool for Rapid Characterization of Unconventional Feedstocks
K. Rose, C.G. Creason, S. Montross, N. Cordero Rodriguez, Z. Jackson, S. O’Barr, R. Hess, C. Atkins, G. Hazle, S. Skipwith, A. Nawacki, F. Taglia, J. Hird, National Energy Technology Laboratory, US |
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| 1:30 | Innovations in Magnet Materials and Manufacturing Techniques | Marriott State D |
| Session chair: Andriy Palasyuk, Ames National Laboratory |
| Anisotropic Field Orientation to Enhance Flux Density and Energy Product in Permanent Magnet Electric Machines
M. Hays, Orbis Electric, US |
| Towards the New Mass Market Magnet
A. Palasyuk, Ames National Laboratory, US |
| Crystallographic Alignment in a Castable Ce-Based Permanent Magnet Using Applied Magnetic Fields
M.S. Kesler, M.J. Thompson, A. Palasyuk, O. Palasyuk, M.A. McGuire, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Development of Rare-Earth-Free MnBi Magnets for Potential Motor Applications
W. Tang, J. Wang, Y. Varma, Jun Cui, Ames National Lab of USDOE, US |
| Alternative to Rare Earth Magnets for High Performance Motors
M. Lee, Island Park Labs, US |
| Comparative Analysis of Na-RE-F and K-RE-F Across the Rare Earth Series for Metallization
M. Segura Guererro, A. Karati, T. Parida, H. Parmar, D. Prodius, I.C. Nlebedim, Ames National Laboratory, US |
| Enhancing Magnet Production Technologies with Economic and Environmental Assessments: An Application to NdFeB Manufacturing
X. Zhou, S. Kulkarni, V. Roy, C. Nath, F. Zhao, J.W. Sutherland, Purdue University, US |
|
| 4:00 | Critical Materials I - Posters | Expo Hall AB |
| Role of Iron in REEs and Cobalt Extraction from Acid Mine Drainage Feedstock
A. Mishrra, B.C. Hedin, H. Hsu-Kim, Duke University, US |
| High Volume Production of Highly-Ordered Pyrolytic-Graphite (HOPG) at 1% Cost
S. Herrera, Cerebral Energy, US |
| Trapping Volatile RuO4 from Oxidized Simulated Used Nuclear Fuel Solutions
J.D. Einkauf, J.M. Pyles, M.E. Lamb, L.R. Sadergaski, H.M. Meyer, L.H. Delmau, B.A. Moyer, J.D. Burns, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Improved Adjacent Lanthanide Separation with Diglycolamide Resins and Neutral Aqueous Complexants
D.G. Racz, I.F. Chaple, S. Jansone-Popova, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, US |
| Engineering Genetically Programmable Spore Platforms for Rare Earth Element Recovery
B.C. Sanders, H. Andrews, A.Y. Borisevich, L. Hochanadel, B. Manard, J. Michener, J. Morrell-Falvey, J. Parks, A. Plechaty, S. Szakas, D. Vasileva, D. Walker, A. Webb, A. Williams, S. Yakubov, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Enhanced domestic extraction of platinum group metals, nickel, copper and cobalt from primary sources
M. Mettler, Colorado School of Mines, US |
| Techno-economic analysis of recycling strategies for catalyst and acid during catalytic graphitization of biocoke
J. A. Gonzalez-Aguirre, N. Islam, A. Dutta, W. J. Sagues, S. Rowland, S. Park, North Carolina State University, US |
| Electricity-driven technology for cost-effective and sustainable critical minerals separation
S. Mohammed, P. Ochonma, Earthium, US |
| Mechanistic Insights into Iron-Catalyzed Biographite Formation for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes
M.N. Islam, S.C. Dey, M. Liu, J.S. Forrester, R.K. Bhardwaj, B. Tremolet de Villers, W.J. Sagues, S. Park, North Carolina State University, US |
| From Pyrolysis Oil to Hard Carbon Anode for Sodium-ion Batteries
S.C. Dey, S.-M. Cho, S. Appikatla, Z.A. Combs, W.J. Sagues, S. Park, North Carolina State University, US |
| Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from PhosphogypsumT
T.G. Levitskaia, E.M. Garcia, W. Hasley-Velez, N.P. Bessen, V. Drozd, Y. Katsenovich, A. Medley, P. Zhang, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US |
| Closing the Loop: AI-Driven Circular Chemistry Approach to Direct Cathode Powder Production from Spent LIBs
L.P.R Moraes, H. Rathnayake, University of North Carolina Greensboro, US |
| Aqueous Critical Mineral Capture and Recovery
K.Y. Amen and J. Brockgreitens, Claros Technologies, US |
| Tracking Critical Materials in Battery and Solar Supply Chains: Enabling FEOC Compliance
V. Roy, F. Zhao, Purdue University, US |
| Battery-grade lithium from lithium-ion battery recycling: A techno-economic analysis
N.A. Chowdhury, S.M. Gallagher, Q. Dai, J.S. Spangenberger, Argonne National Laboratory, US |
| Wednesday March 11 |
|
| 8:30 | Advances in Critical Mineral Separation Technologies | Marriott State D |
| Session chair: Santa Jansone Popova, Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| The L3 Approach for the Development of Technology Metals Extraction Processes: A Case Study on Rare Earth Element Separation
K. Strickland, L3 Process Development, AU |
| Direct Injection of a pH Control Agent in Metal Extraction Columns
L. Budeus, A. Jupke, RWTH Aachen University, DE |
| Non-Equilibrium Transport-Driven Separation of Critical Minerals
G.E. Johnson, M. Sushko, E. Nakouzi, C. Subban, P. Valdez, A. Lines, V. Prabhakaran, P. Simonnin, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US |
| Translating Fundamental Science to Applications: Field-Driven Strategies for Selective Separation of Critical Materials
G. Ricchiuti, I. Jayalath, Y. Huang, M. Dinpajooh, Z. Fox, A.G. Joly, K. Crampton, A. Ritchhart, E. Nakouzi, G.E. Johnson, V. Prabhakaran, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), US |
| Advancing Rare Earth Element Separations with HEHEHP and DGA Extractants: New Insights from Established Chemistry
T.G. Levitskaia, D.H. Altavilla, N.P. Bessen, S. Jansone-Popova, B. O'Kelly, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, US |
| Engineering Selectivity: Advanced Ligand Design for Rare Earth Recovery
S. Pramanik, I. Popovs, A. Ivanov, J. Einkauf, M. Lamb, D-E Jiang, S. Jansone-Popova, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Lanthanide Sulfate Recovery by Enhanced Pressure Dimethyl Ether (DME) Fractional Crystallization
L. Ward, C. Tolbert, C. Orme, D. Prodius, I. Nlebedim, A.D. Wilson, Idaho National Laboratory, US |
|
| 1:30 | Innvoations in Critical Materials | Marriott State D |
| Session chair: Andriy Palasyuk, Ames National Laboratory |
| TBD
R. Dilmore, National Energy Technology Laboratory, US |
| Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of U.S. Synthetic Graphite Anode Production for Lithium-Ion Batteries
R. Pandey, U.R. Gracida-Alvarez, R.K. Iyer, J.C. Kelly, Argonne National Laboratory, US |
| *STUDENT BEST ABSTRACT WINNER* Graphite Supply Chain Modeling using the Global Change Analysis Model
M.E. Liu, Y. Qiu, G.C. Iyer, A.A. Fawcett, B. Yarlagadda, S. Durga, Pacific Northwest National Lab, US |
| Toward a Renewable Supply of Graphite: Catalytic Biographite Production and Techno-Economic Evaluation for Energy Storage Applications
S. Park, North Carolina State University, US |
| Lithium from virgin and recycled pathways: a techno-economic overview
S.M. Gallagher, N.A. Chowdhury, Y. Khalid, Q. Da, J.S. Spangenberger, Argonne National Laboratory, US |
| From Stack to Supply Chain: Addressing the Economic and Regulatory Challenges for REE Recovery from Florida Phosphogypsum
P. Zhang, H. Liang, A. Medley, T. Levitskaia, R. Riman, C. Tsouris, Y. Katsenovich, FIPR Institute, Florida Poly, US |
| *STUDENT BEST ABSTRACT HONORABLE MENTION* Design and Optimization of Processing Pathways for Rare Earth Element Recovery from End-of-Life Products
C. Laliwala, O.O. Amusat, A.I. Torres, Carnegie Mellon University, US |
| Optimizing Domestic Supply Chain Strategies for Rare Earth Element Recovery from Coal Ash
B. McNeil, K. Menon, O. Khwaja, A. Santos Xavier, C. Iloeje, Argonne National Laboratory, US |
| Trends in Critical Metals Enrichment in Acid Mine Drainage Fluids and Treatment Residuals
H. Hsu-Kim, A. Mishrra, A. Altmann, B.C. Hedin, Duke University, US |
| Pilot-Scale Recovery and Refining of Rare Earth and Critical Minerals from Acid Mine Drainage and Coal-Based Feedstocks for Domestic Supply Chain Development
S.V. Pisupati, The Pennsylvania State University, US |
|
| 4:00 | Critical Materials II - Posters | Expo Hall AB |
| Rare Earth Magnet Market 2026-2036: Material and Manufacturing Innovations, Demand Trends, and 10-Year Outlook
J. Howley, Y. Wang, IDTechEx, UK |
| Application of Phosphonic-Acid Ligands for Monazite Flotation
E. Konadu-Yiadom, C.G. Anderson, Colorado School of Mines, US |
| *STUDENT BEST ABSTRACT WINNER* Engineering membrane-based ion-ion separation and concentration for sustainable lithium recovery
K. Abels, A. Barbosa Botelho Junior, W. Kau, V. Yang, W. Tarpeh, Stanford University, US |
| Developments in rare earth production in the US – A concise review of commercial processes
V. Kashyap, K. Rippy, National Laboratory of the Rockies, US |
| Solids Characterization of Phosphogypsum Waste for Rare Earth Element Recovery
V. Drozd, Y. Katsenovich, A. Medley, T. Levitskaia, P. Zhang, Florida International University, US |
| Lanthanide “Tug of War”: Smarter ways to Separate Rare Earth Elements
M. Lamb, S.J. Popova, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Production of Battery-Grade Graphite from Fast- and Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Oils
S.M. Rowland, S.C. Dey, L. Lower, W.J. Sagues, J.A. Gonzalez-Aguirre, B.J. Tremolet de Villers, R.K. Bhardwaj, B. Freel, G. Hopkins, T. Vries, T. Vries, Z.A. Combs, S. Park, National Laboratory of the Rockies, US |
| Extraction of Rare Earth Elements using Molecular Sequestrants via Chemically-Enhanced Electrodialysis (CEED)
A. Bolon, University of California - Merced, US |
| Surface Modification of Carbon Materials for Enhanced Electrosorption of Lanthanide Ions
J.M. Bradley, L. Osmieri, Los Alamos National Laboratory, US |
| Thursday March 12 |
|
| 8:30 | Extraction of Critical Minerals from Diverse Sources | Marriott State D |
| Session chair: Alison Fritz, National Energy Technology Laboratory |
| From Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs: Scaling a Domestic Rare Earth Industry
K. Stoll, Critical Materials Recycling, US |
| Electrochemical Separation For Chemical-Free Lithium Extraction From Geothermal Brines: Prospects and Challenges
L. Kong, Y. Yu, K. Hu, X. Liu, George Washington University, US |
| Direct lithium extraction from brines, minerals, and batter leachates
M.P. Paranthaman, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Membrane Solvent Extraction for the Recovery of Rare Earths from Phosphate Mining Process Streams
G.G. Jang, H. Liang, A. Medley, P. Zhang, P. Paranthaman, C. Tsouris, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Rare Earth Element (REE) Recovery from Coal Waste and Byproducts Using a Simple Weak Acid Dissolution Process
T.I. Pfeiffer, D.A. Bagdonas, M.S. Behrens, University of Wyoming, US |
| *STUDENT BEST ABSTRACT HONORABLE MENTION* Scrub n’ Sort: Producing A Dry Rare-Earth Mineral Concentrate Through Preferential Breakage, Ore Scrubbing, And Rock Sortation At The Bear Lodge Rare Earth Deposit
C. Gorski, Colorado School of Mines, US |
| A Novel Energy-Efficient Scalable Membrane Process for Separation and Recovery of High Purity Rare Earth and Battery Materials from Concentrated and Dilute Domestic Resources
S.Z. Islam, D.A. Kang, B. Trusty, S. Dangwal, R. Bhave, P. Paranthaman, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
|
| 1:15 | Critical Materials - Workshop (open to all conference attendees) | Marriott State D |
| Session chair: Santa Jansone Popova, Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| Rare Earths and Permanent Magnets: TEA, Life Cycle, and Supply Chain
B.J. Smith, Argonne National Laboratory, US |
| From Mine to Concentrate: Extraction, Processing, and Separation
C. Anderson, Colorado School of Mines, US |
| Rare Earth Separation Technologies: History, Progress, and Current Practice
S. Jansone Popova, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US |
| Turning Waste into Resource: Secondary and Unconventional Feedstocks
A. Fritz, National Energy Technology Laboratory, US |
| Permanent Magnets: From Fundamentals to Recycling
A. Palasyuk, Ames National Laboratory, US |
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