Program Summary
The Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource (EMBER) program will develop a biotechnology-based separation and purification strategy for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from under-utilized domestic sources such as phosphate mine waste, acid mine drainage, and electronics recycling processes.
The program aims to deliver multiple capabilities such as the separation of REE mixtures into individual elements using aqueous processes; inter-conversion of REE salts/oxides to facilitate production of manufacturing-ready forms (e.g., halides, phosphates, nitrates); and new assays for high-throughput analysis of REE-containing cells and biomolecules.