Old King Coal.

CONGO (Democratic Republic); CHINA

Coal waste separation, a technology that cleans up old coal mine waste for ecosystem restoration, could provide rare and crucial elements for clean energy technologies. Abandoned coal mines in the US contain coal refuse and ash ponds that are rich in elements like lithium, cobalt, neodymium, and platinum, which are essential for wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries. This could help meet clean energy targets and reduce reliance on countries like China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for these resources. Additionally, coal waste can be used for negative emissions technology and provide new job opportunities in mining communities. However, there are challenges in refining and recovering these elements, and the cost is still unknown. Other unconventional feedstocks like asbestos mine tailings and e-waste could also be explored for these elements. [Extracted from the article]