U.S. DOE Ames National Laboratory and CMI Hub partner with Amazon to recover critical materials from textile and IT waste

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory and the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub launched a new collaboration with Amazon to advance technologies for recovering and recycling critical materials. This partnership aims to drive materials circularity and improve U.S. supply chain resilience, focusing on reducing reliance on foreign imports. Key initiatives include exploring methods for producing battery-grade graphite from post-consumer textiles, such as discarded clothing, to secure critical materials from waste. Additionally, CMI will collaborate with Amazon Web Services (AWS) teams to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of recovering critical minerals, such as gallium, from end-of-life IT hardware. This collaboration combines Amazon’s AI and supply chain capabilities with the Ames National Laboratory’s and CMI Hub’s materials science expertise.

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Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub

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Amazon

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Amazon is actively investing in renewable energy to power its operations, both through direct acquisitions and power purchase agreements. They are expanding their portfolio with solar-plus-storage and nuclear energy in the US. Furthermore, Amazon is collaborating with energy companies and acting as an offtaker for renewable energy projects in Europe, including wind power in Poland and broader renewable energy initiatives in France.

U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Ames National Laboratory

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Ames National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory focused on creating materials, inspiring minds, and solving global challenges through research in chemical and biological sciences, materials sciences, and simulation/modeling. It partners with industry and institutions to transition basic energy science to commercialization.