Purdue innovation could provide inexpensive, clean way for US to enter $4 billion market to recover rare earth elements
New efficient and inexpensive technologies being developed at Purdue University could allow the extraction of rare earth elements, critical components of many electronics and green products, from waste coal ash. This innovation could enable the U.S. to enter into the $4 billion rare earth element production market while recycling coal ash in an environmentally friendly way. The value of the products that require rare earth metals is valued at more than $4 trillion per year.