Published November 09, 2023
By Christine Reed
The School of Energy Resources (SER), along with project partner Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC), hosted the second annual forum for the Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Mineral (CORE-CM) project in the Greater Green River Basin and Wind River Basin (GGRB-WRB).
The event was held at CNCC’s Craig, Colo. campus, as well as online.
With over 60 people in attendance, the day-long forum provided updates and overviews of the varying tasks on the project, as well some featured keynote presentations and an open discussion session to plan for future phases of the project.
“This event was a great opportunity to engage with our project stakeholders and the local coal communities that will be most impacted by the shifting focus away from coal as a fuel source,” says SER Research Scientist and Principal Investigator, Davin Bagdonas. “The CORE-CM project is a real opportunity to utilize the vast resources in these basins to keep these communities afloat, while also addressing the crucial need of a domestic supply source of rare earth elements and critical minerals.”
The Department of Energy (DOE) awarded project is part of a national strategy to finding alternative domestic sources of rare earth elements and critical minerals, as well as to focus on expanding and transforming the use of coal and coal-based resources to produce coal-based products using carbon ore.
The GGRB is a geologically unique basin that predominantly lies in southwest Wyoming and northern Colorado. Rich in hydrocarbons, the basin has been a focal point of development for the oil and gas, trona, and coal industries.
“The GGRB overlaps both Wyoming and Colorado so over the past two years we have been able to assess what resources we have that could be utilized in both states for the creation of a domestic supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements, but it has also allowed us to identify gaps that could present major hurdles, mainly in areas of policy and regulation and how they vary across state lines,” adds Bagdonas.
In May of 2023, the DOE solicited a request for information seeking additional input on the regional assessment and production of rare earth elements, critical minerals, and novel high-value, nonfuel carbon-based products to include an expanded interest in obtaining critical minerals and materials from other secondary and unconventional feedstocks.
It is anticipated that the DOE will open a funding opportunity for Phase II of the project.
“We are hopeful that we will be able to continue the project in subsequent phases,” says Bagdonas. “At this time, we are not sure what that will look like, but we are committed to working with our regional partners and stakeholders to support the projects in whatever way we can.”
A recording of the forum can be found on the project webpage as well as on the SER YouTube Channel.
