The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee is scheduled to hold a January 10 hearing on the “benefits and challenges related to extracting and utilizing rare earth minerals found within Pennsylvania.”

Rare earth minerals are critical to the manufacture of all sorts of electronic components, clean energy, batteries, aerospace, automotive and defense industries.

The hearing is expected to be a broader look at the potential and economics of rare earth mineral extraction and processing in Pennsylvania and the United States.

It is also expected to touch on how abandoned mine drainage could be a source of rare earth minerals.

Penn State University and its Center for Critical Minerals has been doing important research into rare earth minerals in mine drainage, coal and other sources.

The U.S. Department of Energy and its National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh have similar efforts underway.

The presence of rare earth minerals in clean energy components has been used as a basis for proposing to load up solar and wind projects with bonds to make them more expensive.  Rare earth minerals in products propose no health or environmental threats.  Read more here.

The hearing will be held in Room G-50 of the Irvis Building starting at 9:30.  Click Here to watch the hearing live.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to: dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.

Related Article:

-- Penn State: Battery Metals From Abandoned Mine Wastewater: Potential Economic Benefits For Pennsylvania

-- New Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Turns Waste Into Valuable Rare Earth Minerals

-- New Sensor Can Detect Valuable Rare Earth Elements In Mine Drainage, Other Non-Traditional Sources

-- U.S. Dept. Of Energy Awards $1.95 Million For Conceptual Designs For Rare Earth Mineral Extraction From Coal Sources, Including 4 PA Projects

-- DOE Grant To Penn State Continues Research Into Rare-Earth Elements Extraction From Coal [2017]

-- Study Will Determine Amount Of Rare Earth Elements In Coal Mining Waste [2016]

[Posted: December 25, 2021]

12/27/2021