Completed and Ongoing Research Projects (After Joining VT)
Resource Assessment of Geological Formations and Mine Waste for Carbon Dioxide Mineralization in the US Mid-Atlantic. Funded by DOE/NETL. Performance Period: N/A
Development of a Carbon-Negative Process for Comminution Energy Reduction and Energy-Relevant Mineral Extraction through Carbon Mineralization and Biological Carbon Fixation. Funded by the University of Kentucky (ARPA-E flowthrough). Performance Period: N/A
Energy-relevant elements recovery from CO2-reactive minerals during carbon mineralization. Funded by ARPA-E. Performance Period: N/A
Kings Mountain Lithium Materials Processing Plant. Funded by Albemarle U.S. Inc. (DOE flow through). Performance Period: N/A
Development of innovative reagent schemes for gangue depression in bastnaesite flotation. Funded by MP Materials. Performance Period: 9/1/2022-8/30/2023.
Enhanced Dewatering of Acid Mine Drainage Sludge Using an Efficient, Low-cost, and Modular Process Circuits. Funded by OSMRE. Performance Period: N/A
An Integrated Approach to Maximizing the Value of Coal with Low Carbon Footprint: Developing Advanced Battery Materials and Recovering Critical Elements. Funded by Vibrant Virginia. Performance Period: 11/01/2021 - 10/31/2022.
Preliminary investigation on critical elements recovery from the acid mine drainages of XXX Inc. (11/01/2021 - 2/28/2022)
Statistically rigorous deep dive nationwide characterization of municipal solid waste and selection of technologies enabling production of conversion-ready feedstocks. Funded by Cascadia Consulting Group (DOE/EERE flow through). Performance Period: 10/01/2021 – 12/31/2024 .
Recovery of ZnO from end-of-life tires for enhanced and effective waste material utilization. Funded by the Center for Tire Research. Performance period: 09/01/2021 – 08/31/2024.
Rare earth elements recovery from secondary resources. Funded by the Virginia Tech National Center for Earth and Environmental Nanotechnology Infrastructure (NanoEarth). Performance period: Summer of 2021.
Rare Earth Elements Recovery Using Food Waste - Phase I. Funded by EPA. Performance period: December 2020 – November 2021.
Rare earth element separation using gas-assisted micro-flow extraction with task-specific ionic liquids. Funded by Phinix, LLC (DOE flowthrough). Performance period: June 2021 – May 2024.
Low-concentration precious metal recovery from complex streams using gas-assisted microflow solvent extraction. Funded by the REMADE Institute. Performance period: February 2021 – January 2022.
Physical, chemical, and mineralogical characterizations of MSWI ash product and recommendations for downstream processing. Funded by DOE/ARPA-E. Performance period: April 2021 – April 2023
Demonstration of scaled-production of rare earth oxides and critical materials from coal-based sources using innovative, low-cost process technologies and circuits. Funded by the University of Kentucky (DOE flowthrough). Performance period: October 2019 – April 2022.
Mid-APPalachian carbon ore, rare earth and critical minerals (MAPP-CORE) initiative. Funded by West Virginia University (DOE flowthrough). Performance Period: June 2021 – May 2023.
Evolve Central Appalachia. Funded by DOE/NETL. Performance period: 07/01/2021 - 06/30/2023.
Multi-Sourced Collaboration for the Production & Refining of Rare and Critical Elements. Funded by the University of Kentucky (DOE flowthrough). Performance Period: December 2021 - August 2022.
