Development of advanced ICP-MS speciation methods to support discovery and recovery of REE

The Colorado School of Mines received a $232,591 cooperative agreement award from the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center to develop advanced inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) speciation methods in support of rare earth element discovery and recovery. The three-year award, issued on September 28, 2021 under the Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering program (CFDA 12.630), will fund research to advance ICP-MS methodology for determining rare earth element molecular forms and speciation in complex samples. The agreement supports the program's objective of conducting basic, applied, or advanced scientific research with potential to contribute technologies relevant to Department of Defense missions. Results from this research could enhance rare earth element discovery and extraction processes of value to national security interests.