CARBONDALE, Ill. — Some of Illinois' abandoned coal mines are getting a new lease on life, potentially providing rare earth elements that are key to green energy and many of the tech products we all use.
Rare earth elements, also known as REEs, are only found in tiny concentrations in specific locations around the world. They're used in more than 200 products, especially in high-tech consumer goods and renewable energy. Think of things like cellphones, wind turbines, solar panels, electric and hybrid vehicles, lasers, radars, sonar systems and more.
Not only are they hard to come by, but accessing the elements is often complicated. About 13% of global REE reserves exist in the United States. At the same time, increased technological demand combined with geopolitical, global economic and environmental factors are increasing the demand for REEs.
One of the places REEs are found is in acid runoff from mines. That's where Jia Liu comes in.
Liu is an associate professor in the School of Civil, Environmental and Infrastructure Engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She's been awarded a two-year, $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Interior to develop a way to salvage REEs from southern Illinois' abandoned coal mines.
"The effort aims to develop an economical and environmentally friendly way to separate the valuable elements from a waste product left behind by the area’s once-thriving coal production industry," the university said in a press release.
Liu's work will develop a brand new, specifically designed bioelectrochemical system. It uses a so-called biofilm, made from specific, environmentally-friendly bacteria. Once the REEs are captured on the biofilms, acid is used to separate them from the films.
Liu's tests show REE recovery rates of around 50%, making her hopeful for even greater success as the project continues. She aims to capture 16 different REEs.
“We’re trying to provide a laboratory proof-of-concept for this process and our innovative technology,” Liu said. “If we’re successful, our approach will provide a sustainable, environmentally friendly way to recover these valuable resources.”
With the help of her students, Liu has been obtaining samples from four abandoned coal mines around Carbondale. The study group is working in SIU laboratories to develop and perfect the technology.
If it's successful, the grant could be extended and the technology would be a first-of-its-kind REE extraction method that could be implemented across the country and world.
“This extraction process can be sustainable and environmentally friendly, which is highly attractive,” Liu said. “We’re hoping to demonstrate a new and economical pathway for valuable REE resource recovery.”
Tune into The Current from 4 to 5 p.m. on weekdays to catch live interviews impacting you, your family and your hometown as well as all of the biggest headlines of the day.