Shale 2.0 -shale 2.0 will create a national platform for recovering critical minerals and materials directly from mature shale reservoirs

The National Science Foundation Office of Integrative Activities awarded the University of Oklahoma $301,830 on October 1, 2026, under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) to develop SHALE 2.0, a national platform for recovering critical minerals and materials directly from mature shale reservoirs using engineered extraction fluids.

The project will conduct laboratory studies measuring how rocks respond to different fluid formulations under realistic subsurface conditions, develop predictive models simulating fluid movement and chemical reactions across the reservoir, and design a modular surface processing system that separates and concentrates minerals through pretreatment, membrane fractionation, selective adsorption, and controlled precipitation. Integrated analysis will evaluate technical feasibility and identify operating conditions required for a pilot-scale demonstration. The work also includes developing training pathways for workers in emerging mineral recovery industries.

Performance occurs at the University of Oklahoma's Norman, Oklahoma campus, with a period of performance extending through September 30, 2029. The assistance type is a Project Grant. No subawards are planned.

Many technologies important to the nation rely on minerals that the united states currently imports. At the same time, domestic shale reservoirs have existing wells, extensive infrastructure and decades of geological information that make them promising sources of these minerals. This project will explore how specially designed fluids can circulate underground to dissolve and mobilize valuable elements without mining rock at the surface. The work is intended to support secure mineral supplies, reduce environmental disturbance, and strengthen economic opportunities in energy producing regions. IT also emphasizes clear communication with communities and responsible development guided by transparent science. The project will determine how critical minerals occur in shale, how engineered fluids can extract them safely, and how to recover these elements at the surface. Laboratory studies will measure how rocks respond to different fluid formulations under realistic pressure, temperature, salinity, and flow conditions. Predictive models will simulate fluid movement and chemical reactions across the reservoir. A modular surface processing system will separate and concentrate minerals through pretreatment, membrane fractionation, selective adsorption, and controlled precipitation. Results from these activities will be integrated into an analysis that evaluates technical feasibility and identifies the operating conditions needed for a pilot scale demonstration. The project will also develop training pathways that prepare workers for jobs in emerging mineral recovery industries. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.