DOE Selects Core Natural Resources Unit to Pilot Rare‑Earth Extraction From Coal Waste

Overview

• Core Natural Resources said CONSOL Innovations LLC was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy on Monday for a conditional multi‑million‑dollar grant to pilot recovery of rare‑earth elements and other critical minerals from coal waste tailings.
• The award is not final and depends on successful negotiations with DOE, with the company stressing the final grant amount and timing remain uncertain.
• Core plans to use the funding to build a pilot‑scale processing facility at its Pennsylvania Mining Complex to test extraction methods on existing coal byproducts.
• The project is part of Core’s broader strategy to move beyond fuel sales into advanced materials and defense supply chains, following recent moves such as work by its Touchstone Advanced Composites unit and the C‑BATT graphite venture.
• If the pilot succeeds, it could help cut U.S. reliance on overseas processors for strategic minerals used in defense, electric vehicles and renewable energy, but technical and financial risks mean commercial impact is not guaranteed.