University of Wyoming Wins Grant for Mineral Research

The National Science Foundation awarded $6 million to study extracting rare earth elements from coal waste.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Energy

Macro view of coal waste fragments and crystalline mineral deposits inside a glass vessel, reflecting cool lab light. — The National Science Foundation awarded $6 million to the University of Wyoming for research on extracting rare earth minerals from coal waste. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should the U.S. prioritize domestic extraction of rare earth minerals over importing them from other nations?

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $6 million grant to the University of Wyoming for research into extracting rare earth elements using microorganisms. This effort is part of a larger, $40 million initiative involving eight research projects across the United States.

Why it matters

The project aims to decrease U.S. reliance on foreign mineral sources, particularly China, which currently produces approximately 90% of the world's supply. By developing domestic extraction capabilities, researchers hope to bolster both national security and economic well-being.

The study utilizes bacteria to isolate minerals from coal and coal byproducts, with researchers performing mineral characterization to identify chemical composition, grain size, and cohesive strength. The project targets 60 specific minerals deemed essential for U.S. economic and national security.

The players

National Science Foundation

This independent federal agency supports fundamental research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering.

University of Wyoming

Located in Laramie, this public research university is a major hub for energy and natural resources study in the United States.

University of Alaska, Anchorage

This public university serves as the lead institute for the rare earth mineral research project.

Montana Technological Institute

This institution focuses on engineering, science, and technology and is collaborating on the microbial processing project.

The details

Researchers at the University of Wyoming are collaborating with the University of Alaska and Montana Technological Institute to develop microbial processing techniques. The team investigates how specific bacteria interact with coal waste to separate valuable elements, with the University of Alaska, Anchorage serving as the lead institute.

October 20, 2026: The National Science Foundation announced the grant award.
The past decade: China dominated global production of rare earth elements.

The Big Picture

This research initiative directly addresses the supply chain vulnerabilities highlighted by the Department of the Interior's list of 60 minerals essential to national security. The project seeks to move domestic mineral extraction away from dependence on foreign markets and toward a model utilizing repurposed coal byproducts.

Success in this project could eventually lead to new domestic sources for the minerals required in modern electronics and defense technology. This could potentially reduce market volatility for essential materials and strengthen regional economies tied to coal production.

The takeaway

This research explores a promising intersection of microbiology and material science to solve a critical industrial supply chain issue. By treating coal waste as a resource rather than a liability, the project aims to stabilize the availability of components essential to national security.