A clever idea to use magnetic nanoparticles to capture valuable materials from brines has blossomed into industrial-scale pilot projects that could help make the U.S. a producer of critical minerals used in electronics and energy production. Most of these minerals are obtained from international sources, many of which are high-conflict regions.

The patent-pending technology, developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been licensed exclusively by Moselle Technologies, a start-up business that is piloting the technology in several U.S. and international locations.

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