Ramaco Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: METC, METCB) (“Ramaco” or the “Company”) is proud to announce the signing of an Umbrella Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) National Energy Technology Laboratory (“NETL”). This marks a significant milestone in our longstanding partnership with NETL and collaborative research on rare earth element and critical mineral (“REE”) exploration, processing, ore deposit modeling, and commercialization strategies.
As one of NETL’s longest-standing strategic partners in the rare earth area, Ramaco intends to continue its work not only with NETL but also with a variety of the DOE’s other national laboratories to accelerate the discovery, mining, processing and creation of rare earths and critical minerals and materials at its Brook Mine in Sheridan, Wyoming. The Brook Mine has what we believe to be the largest unconventional rare earth deposit in the United States.
This multi-task and far-reaching CRADA establishes a framework for further collaborative research and development projects that include rare earth elements, critical minerals, advanced materials, carbon, carbon allotropes, coal, coal derivatives, and coal byproducts. The agreement is designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of technologies that will strengthen U.S. competitiveness, support domestic manufacturing, and drive scientific progress.
Through this initiative, Ramaco and NETL will work to integrate advanced computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies to automate scientific workflows and drive rapid, data-driven discoveries in REE and critical mineral development.
The CRADA will also specifically leverage the focus on critical minerals and rare earth expertise of the DOE’s recently created Minerals to Materials Supply Chain Research Facility (“METALLIC”). METALLIC unites nine national laboratories to accelerate and commercialize technologies developed by the National Labs, Ramaco and other domestic partners in the REE area.
The program is organized into four centers of expertise—Feedstock Beneficiation, Extraction and Separations, Refining, and Alloy Development and Advanced Manufacturing. Each center is equipped for technology testing and validation and supported by a cross-functional enabling activities team.
“This far-reaching new CRADA agreement will initially focus on Ramaco’s rare earth and critical mineral development and reflects the strength of our longstanding partnership with NETL, and indeed through the DOE program METALLIC, the entire multi-national laboratory ecosystem,” said Randall W. Atkins, CEO of Ramaco Resources. “We hope that our work through this agreement will help accelerate Ramaco’s own commercial efforts at the Brook Mine as we seek to advance the nation’s strategic interest in rapidly developing new critical mineral supply capability.”
“The CRADA will allow us to materially build upon our prior joint research efforts. We believe it will bring to bear the full strength of the DOE national laboratory system’s talent, scientific capabilities and expertise and in the field of critical minerals to help force multiply efforts to advance Ramaco’s own critical mineral development. Our goal is to jointly deploy and develop innovative, commercially viable solutions that strengthen domestic rare earth supply chains and enhance national mineral security.”
The CRADA will remain in effect for five years, with the option to initiate multiple collaborative projects under its umbrella.
NETL was instrumental in the original discovery of Ramaco’s Brook Mine REE deposit in 2018. NETL, as well as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have also partnered with the Company on a variety of science and engineering discoveries in addition to the Brook Mine REE project development.
Ramaco and the national laboratories continue to work together on a variety of exciting new technologies in the use of coal as a precursor to develop high value carbon products and materials such as graphene, synthetic graphite, and carbon fibers. Ramaco holds a body of roughly 76 intellectual property patents and pending applications, exclusive licensing agreements and various trademarks in this entire area.
