Efforts to recover critical minerals from coal ash are opening the door for new partnerships, business models, and regional investment.
Office of Technology Commercialization
July 16, 2025
minute read time
When President Donald J. Trump signed the Executive Order “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry” in April 2025, it marked more than a policy change. It signaled a shift in how the country views coal. After years of being perceived as a declining energy source, coal is now being reestablished as a priority for national energy security, manufacturing, and critical materials production.
The order outlined a clear strategy. It calls for increasing coal production, supporting new uses of coal-based infrastructure, and accelerating the development of technologies that can recover valuable materials from coal waste. This includes rare earth elements and other minerals that are needed in everything from electric motors to high-performance electronics.
In response, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright announced a set of actions to help modernize the industry. These included restarting the National Coal Council, creating financing pathways for new coal projects, and backing the commercialization of mineral recovery technologies already developed by DOE labs.
The Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) is central to carrying out Secretary Wright’s direction to commercialize coal-based technologies, helping ensure that coal continues to serve the nation not only as a fuel, but also as a foundation for American energy abundance and economic growth.
What OTC Does, and Why It Matters Now
OTC helps move federally funded research into the hands of the private sector. This includes licensing DOE-developed technologies, connecting businesses with lab expertise, and funding partnerships that support commercialization. For coal, OTC's role is focused on something very specific.
DOE labs have developed methods to recover critical minerals from coal byproducts like ash and slag. These materials are often considered waste, but they hold high-value elements that are needed in defense systems, electric machinery, and computing. Instead of discarding them, we now have a way to put these resources to use.
Section 11 of the Executive Order calls on DOE to accelerate this work. It directs the department to support technologies that extract materials from coal for steelmaking, battery development, and other industrial uses. Much of this foundational research was supported by DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), which has invested in the development of coal-based recovery technologies. OTC is working alongside FECM to help move these technologies forward through partnerships and commercialization support.
Coal-Based Technologies Available for Partnership
DOE’s National Laboratories have developed several technologies that focus on extracting critical minerals and rare earth elements from coal byproducts like ash and slag. These innovations are available now through the Lab Partnering Service. Each method has been tested at the lab scale and is ready for companies to further develop, refine, and scale into commercial systems.
Rare Earth Recovery from Fly Ash Using Mild Acids
Developed by: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)
What it does: Uses room-temperature leaching and mild acids to extract rare earth elements from coal fly ash. The process is safer than traditional high-temperature or high-acid approaches.
Why it matters: The U.S. produces more than 75 million metric tons of coal combustion products every year. This method offers a practical way to turn that waste into something useful.
Thermal Processing for Concentrating REEs in Coal Slag
Developed by: NETL
What it does: Combines coal slag with fluxing agents and uses heat treatment followed by controlled cooling. This concentrates rare earths into a solid phase that can be separated for refinement.
Why it matters: It offers a chemical-free way to increase mineral concentration from low-value waste streams.
Supercritical CO₂ Extraction of Rare Earths
Developed by: Sandia National Laboratories
What it does: Extracts rare earth elements using a combination of water, food-grade citric acid, and supercritical carbon dioxide. The process avoids industrial solvents and operates at moderate temperatures.
Why it matters: The method uses food-grade citric acid and carbon dioxide, offering a low-impact alternative to conventional extraction processes and showing strong potential for regional use cases.
These are real opportunities for companies that want to get involved in coal-to-minerals technologies. They are not market-ready products, but they offer a head start with lab-validated results and clear use cases.
What Makes This Moment Different
This is not just about science. It is about timing, policy, and need.
The Executive Order lays out a national policy that recognizes coal as a strategic resource. The Department of Energy has followed that with action, funding, and public guidance. OTC is helping bridge the gap between innovation and deployment by offering tools and pathways for collaboration.
At the same time, demand for rare earth elements and other specialty minerals continues to grow. These materials are essential for high-tech manufacturing, but global supply chains are unstable and increasingly controlled by competitors. Building a domestic source using coal byproducts is a practical, strategic move.
There is also a regional angle. Many coal communities still have the skills, infrastructure, and interest to participate in industrial recovery. Instead of starting from scratch, we can build from what already exists.
Resources for Partners
OTC offers several programs to help companies and communities get involved:
- Lab Partnering Service
A searchable platform to explore available technologies, connect with lab experts, and begin conversations around licensing or collaboration.
- Technology Commercialization Fund
A cost-shared funding opportunity that helps companies and labs co-develop, pilot, or scale promising technologies. TCF is ideal for industry partners looking to adapt DOE lab innovations to real-world applications.
- Energy I-Corps
A commercialization training program that prepares lab researchers to work more effectively with industry. Companies benefit from collaborating with I-Corps-trained teams who understand business needs, product development cycles, and the importance of real market fit.
These tools are built to reduce risk and increase the chances of successful scale-up.
Where We Go from Here
Coal helped power America for over a century. Now it may help support the next generation of industries through materials recovery, advanced processing, and manufacturing.
OTC is helping make that possible by connecting research with people ready to take it further. The technologies are ready. The policy support is in place. The demand is growing.
If you're interested in being part of this effort, there are ways to engage now.