Critical rare earth elements recovered from coal waste with new acid-free process

Photo caption: Anuja Tripathi works in a lab developing an energy and environmentally friendly method for extracting rare earth elements from coal fly ash. Photo credit: Georgia Tech. Article by Mrigakshi Dixit. Interesting Engineering – June 11, 2026. Research article:  Environmental Science and Technology. 

Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a method to harvest rare earth elements (REEs) directly from coal waste. Anuja Tripathi, a postdoctoral researcher, co-developed this innovative method to recover critical rare earth elements from this industrial waste. Working alongside professors Ching-Hua Huang and Xing Xie, Tripathi transformed what she once viewed as a childhood nuisance into a valuable resource. It offers a way to extract the essential materials needed for modern technology from America’s massive stockpiles of coal fly ash. […]

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