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U.S. Senate Energy Chairman Joe Manchin kicked off a committee hearing today by saying the United States needs a push to produce the kind of critical minerals that are key elements of modern technology like lithium batteries.

Rare earth elements are a key component of electronics, aerospace, automotive and other products, particularly rechargeable batteries. China is the dominant producer, and the rest of the world is trying to catch up.

Article written by Mike Tony for the Charleston Gazette-Mail
March 8, 2022

The West Virginia Senate has passed without opposition a bill designed to clarify who can profit from the extraction of rare earth elements and critical minerals essential to technology products and national security.

On Thursday, February 17th, the West Virginia Water Research Institute (WVWRI) held its third and final session of the Virtual Seminar Series. Speakers from Friends of the Cheat, West Virginia University, and WVWRI discussed acid mine drainage (AMD) research and remediation projects.

Mark your calendars now! The 2022 West Virginia Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium has officially been scheduled for October 4-5, 2022. Watch out for symposium program to be released in April!

The West Virginia Mine Drainage Task Force was formed in 1978 and assigned to investigate the acid mine drainage (AMD) problem associated with surface mining in central West Virginia. Since then, the Task Force has broadened its scope to include areas outside of West Virginia with many diverse mine drainage issues.

In a nearly unanimous vote, the House of Delegates has passed a bill designed to clarify who can profit from the extraction of rare earth elements and critical minerals essential to technology products and national security.

The House on Monday approved House Bill 4003, which would establish that any party that treats any mine drainage may derive “commercial benefit” from any elements or other byproducts of the treated material.

Article written by Mike Nolting for MetroNews
February 5, 2022

According to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, WVU has kept its status as an R1 institution.

The Legislature is considering bills to promote West Virginia production of the rare earth elements that are essential parts of high-tech devices.

The House Energy and Manufacturing Committee passed two related bills Thursday afternoon. They’ll now be considered by the House Judiciary Committee.

Article written by Mike Tony for the Charleston Gazette-Mail
January 27, 2022

The state House Energy and Manufacturing Committee has approved a pair of bills designed to encourage economic development from extraction of rare earth elements and critical minerals essential to technology products and national security.

In the second session of the West Virginia Water Research Institute (WVWRI) Virtual Seminar Series, representatives from the Northern West Virginia Brownfield Assistance Center (NBAC) highlighted a collaborative project with the Save the Tygart Watershed Association as well as the resources provided by WVU Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB).