DOE Hub Advances Rare-Earth Supply Chain Solutions

The U.S. Department of Energy's Critical Materials Innovation Hub, led by Ames National Laboratory, is expanding efforts to secure supply chains for rare-earth metals and other critical materials.

Now in Phase III, which began in late 2023, CMI concentrates on diversifying supply, developing material substitutes, unlocking secondary sources, and scaling recycling and processing methods relevant to clean-energy technologies.

CMI coordinates national labs, universities, and industry through public-private partnerships to move discoveries toward manufacturable processes and licensable technologies while building workforce capacity.

Recent activity includes licensing rare-earth processing innovations to industry partners, Momentum Technologies expanding a platform to support national supply chains, and recognition of hub researchers in global scientist rankings.

Measured outputs reflect commercialization progress: 225 invention disclosures, 67 U.S. patents, 27 technologies licensed, and 17 R&D 100 awards, supported by patent and publication analyses and a 2013–2023 retrospective.

Director Thomas Lograsso emphasizes combining materials science, process engineering, and supply-chain integration to reduce dependence on constrained sources and improve resilience for energy systems.