Two esteemed professors from South Dakota Mines are at the forefront of a groundbreaking initiative that could potentially revolutionize the extraction of rare earth elements (REEs) from coal mine waste. Professors Venkataramana Gadhamshetty and Purushotham Tukkaraja have developed a novel sustainable method that is pivotal for the technological, energy, and defense sectors, underscoring South Dakota’s innovative spirit.
South Dakota Mines
The project, which began with a seed grant from the National Science Foundation, has gradually evolved into a comprehensive program backed by the NSF, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), and the U.S. Department of the Interior. These governmental supports highlight the national significance of this South Dakota-led research initiative.
After three years of dedicated research, the professors are set to present their findings to a group of esteemed government and university researchers—another affirmation of South Dakota’s leadership in advancing scientific innovation.
The Importance of Rare Earth Elements
Rare earth elements such as yttrium, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, and gadolinium are critical components in diverse sectors, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, LED lighting, fiber-optic internet, and national defense systems. Thus, the development of a domestic source for these elements is both strategically and economically vital.
The South Dakota Mines team has extracted these elements from the often disregarded top rock layers and coal ash from Wyoming mines, transforming environmental waste into a valuable resource.
Innovative Three-Stage Process
Professors Gadhamshetty and Tukkaraja have designed an innovative three-stage process that synergizes physical, chemical, and biological techniques:
- Breaking down large rock fragments to enhance access to the embedded elements.
- Utilizing environmentally friendly chemicals that convert REEs from solid to liquid, enabling selective extraction.
- Employing microorganisms to absorb dissolved elements, effectively concentrating them inside living cells.
The biological stage is particularly innovative, likened to human nutrition—microorganisms, like people, naturally require trace amounts of these elements, thus creating a beneficial relationship.
“Once the transfer is being done, you are able to capture all those precious materials into the microbial cells – using living beings to consolidate the dilute levels of these rare earth elements from larger bodies,” Gadhamshetty explains.
The Broader Impact
Beyond extracting REEs from solid waste, the South Dakota researchers are applying similar principles to treat water from coal mines. This dual approach not only promises to address waste management challenges but also opens new avenues for economic growth and sustainability.
As the project progresses, the team’s next step is to scale up the process to make it commercially viable, opening the door for stakeholder engagement. “Once we start incorporating all these different metrics and make it more feasible, we might find stakeholders who would see the value in this solution,” Tukkaraja emphasized.
An Interdisciplinary Effort
This pioneering research embodies the spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration, a hallmark of South Dakota Mines. Contributions from experts like Qublisamy Parthiba, Brett Carlson, and others have been essential. This collaboration showcases how South Dakota Mines is leveraging diverse expertise to turn an environmental challenge into a strategic advantage, further enhancing the state’s reputation as a hub of innovation.
For media inquiries, please contact info@southdakotamines.edu.
Search for Public Domain Photos
Readers interested in visualizing the pivotal role of rare earth elements in modern technology can explore public domain resources by searching terms such as “rare earth elements in technology” or “sustainable mining practices.”