WKU-Lehigh Breakthrough Targets Rare Earth Recovery from Coal Waste

Highlights

• WKU Advanced Materials Institute collaborates with Lehigh University to extract rare earth elements from coal ash and wastewater residues.
• Research aims to reduce U.S. dependence on imported rare earths by repurposing fossil fuel plant waste streams.
• Initiative positions Kentucky as a potential strategic node in developing alternative rare earth material sources.

In a strategic breakthrough for domestic critical mineral supply, the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Advanced Materials Institute (AMI) inked a partnership (opens in a new tab) with Lehigh University to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from coal combustion byproducts, offering a sustainable pathway for reclaiming critical materials from industrial waste. This research could reduce U.S. reliance on imported rare earths while repurposing waste streams from fossil fuel plants.

Led by AMI researchers at WKU’s Innovation Campus in Bowling Green, the initiative investigates how coal ash and wastewater residues can be transformed into economically viable sources of REEs. “We’re not just cleaning up combustion waste—we’re unlocking strategic resources,” said a spokesperson from AMI. With the U.S. Department of Energy actively seeking non-traditional sources of REEs, this effort positions Kentucky as a potential node in the rare earth supply chain transformation.