Satellites are already used in mineral exploration, but advances in technology are creating new opportunities for more sophisticated remote prospecting. Researchers in Utah are combining satellites, hyperspectral imaging and AI to discover mineral deposits. Read full article here.

Natural hydrogen is a new, clean primary energy source with the potential to supplement other renewable technologies and support the increased hydrogen use in the future energy mix. Recently, exploration and research on natural H₂ have gathered momentum, resulting in an exponential increase in the amount of information and data.

Although natural H₂ systems are often compared with petroleum systems, research on the former is still in its infancy, and clarifying differences between the two systems is crucial for natural H₂ exploration. For that purpose, the team at EGI is developing a knowledge platform consisting of a GIS project of natural H₂ sites, with relevant geological data and a collection of interlinked documents. These include site summaries, source rocks, generation reactions, and H₂ properties.

The Natural Hydrogen Knowledge Platform is for forward-thinking energy companies and academic researchers who are tackling the challenge of efficiently identifying and prioritizing investment in this emerging clean energy source. Setting itself apart from traditional databases or mapping solutions, the platform offers a dynamic, comprehensive, and interconnected view of global natural hydrogen systems, facilitating smarter exploration strategies and fostering innovative energy solutions in the renewable sector.

The Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) FOA-0002364 funds coalition teams focused on addressing the upstream & midstream critical mineral (CM) supply chain and downstream manufacturing of high-value, nonfuel, carbon-based products, to accelerate the realization of full potential for carbon ores and critical minerals within the U.S basins.

Emphasizing unconventional and secondary sources, regional assessments are an essential link between the resource characteristics within a region and opportunities to develop robust circular supply chains. Transportation costs may impact the carbon footprint of any commodity. The CORE-CM Initiative for U.S. Basins is a further step toward achieving the goal of comprehensive resource assessment technologies and local development of supply chain elements near the raw resources.

Research is in partnership with the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF).

https://netl.doe.gov/resource-sustainability/critical-minerals-and-materials/core-cm

The primary goal of this project is to identify and evaluate viable energy and economic transition pathways for a distressed coal region in Utah. Emery and Carbon counties, often referred to as Utah’s Coal Country, have long depended almost exclusively on coal mining and coal-fired power plants to sustain their economy. Emery County is facing significant challenges due to the ongoing decline in coal production and the impending closures of local power plants. Scheduled for 2031 and 2032, these closures threaten to eliminate hundreds of direct jobs at the power plants, as well as hundreds more in coal mining and related industries.

As the region grapples with these impending closures, it is already struggling with rising unemployment, outmigration, high poverty rates, and declining housing values. The shutdowns of these coal power plants will only deepen these economic hardships.

This project is actively working on a comprehensive plan for transitioning the region’s assets and workforce, with a focus on both the power plants and the mines. The project is undertaking a thorough exploration of these transition options, including: (1) a rigorous techno-economic analysis (TEA) of the energy assets, (2) an economic impact analysis, and (3) the development of a detailed economic and workforce transition plan.