A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin has revealed that coal ash in America could hold as much as 11 million tons of rare earth elements (REEs), worth approximately $8.4 billion, five times the country’s existing estimated domestic reserves.
These REEs are essential for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels. However, extracting them from coal ash is a challenging process due to their low concentration in the waste material. The initial processing of coal ash has already been completed, but extracting the REEs requires strong acids and bases, which are costly and pose environmental risks.
Despite these challenges, researchers see an opportunity to turn “trash to treasure” by reusing existing waste without taking new coal out of the ground. This approach could reduce foreign imports and mitigate environmental destruction associated with new mining.
The Biden administration has announced a $17.5 million investment in technologies for extracting REEs from coal and its byproducts, aiming to decrease reliance on foreign supplies and build up domestic manufacturing. However, some experts have raised concerns that commoditizing coal ash may create more coal burning.
Researchers disagree, emphasizing that the focus is on utilizing legacy waste, not manufacturing new ash. The US Department of Energy (DOE) also maintains that these efforts will not encourage new coal power generation.
As demand for rare earth elements is set to increase sevenfold by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency, this approach could help the US transition towards a more sustainable and secure energy future by focusing on existing waste. In the future, researchers aim to get the most value out of coal ash, not just extracting REEs but also other materials while improving waste management and storage.
Source: https://www.insnet.org/hidden-treasures-lie-under-old-coal-ash