iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Dr. Adam Stein @astein.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity. This new report explores the potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining.🧵

161

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Seaver Wang @wang-seaver.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

Our new report explores potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining. If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity.🧵 thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...

thebreakthrough.org

Abundant Fuel for Abundant Reactors

111

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

As the US debates how to secure critical minerals, some insist that we first must wholly reform mining before we embrace its role in decarbonization The latest @thebti.bsky.social article argues how the stringent standards miners already follow make that attitude counterproductive 🧵

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

I went hiking in the Mendocino National Forest and think I spotted some volcanics. It's a little hard to see, but the two dark outcrops look like the nubs of a sill that I imagine eroded as the valley formed and cut through it.....🧵

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

The NRC announced some exciting news for the U.S. nuclear sector on Tuesday DISA received an approval for their license application to collect uranium ore from abandoned uranium mine waste using a method called High-Pressure Slurry Ablation 🧵

110

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Dr. Adam Stein @astein.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

The NRC issued a license today to DISA Technologies to use its system to remediate abandoned uranium mines. This is a very positive step toward addressing mines that were improperly handled decades ago, mostly for weapons production.

Letter from the NRC approving DISA's license application for license SUA-1605

061

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Geologists typically prefer puns, but today I thought I'd try a limerick: The famous geologist, Bryce just wanted a sample of gneiss. So he picked up a piece from the beaches of Nice and thought it incredibly nice. *not intended to necessarily be geologically accurate

000

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

I am very pleased to see @thebti.bsky.social cited and described as the optimistic perspective when it comes to critical minerals thought leadership in a new book by Thea Riofrancos called "Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism."

010

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

The U.S. got some great news today and will soon close an essential gap in critical mineral supply chains: antimony mining.🧵 www.investors.perpetuaresources.com/investors/ne...

investors.perpetuaresources.com

Perpetua Resources Receives Notice to Proceed from U.S. Forest Service Authorizing Project Development — Perpetua Resources | Corporate

View PDF

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

Traveling to Seattle last week, my flight from San Francisco flew north along the Cascade Range and treated me to a great view of Mount Shasta - a 14,163 foot high stratovolcano. 🧵

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

I am seeing announcements of a Strategic Mineral Reserve for critical minerals that the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada will host as a public-private partnership with M2i Global and Volato Group 🧵 www.mining.com/nevada-army-...

mining.com

Nevada army depot to serve as base for first US strategic minerals stockpile

The initiative will be spearheaded by critical minerals pioneer M2i Global and aviation solutions provider Volato Group.

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Digging through some photos from my time at Nyrstar and found this one of the barite brain Nyrstar had so many great samples in their collection from years of mining. Gem hunters know it as the Elmwood Mine, famous for its fluorite with irregular etching called Carthage Corners

011

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Congress is back from recess and it looks like the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is wasting no time discussing proposals related to mining. Here's what was on the docket for the legislative hearing yesterday (9/3) 🧵 naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eve...

naturalresources.house.gov

Hearings | House Committee on Natural Resources

111

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

Heading to DC for the Abundance event to join my @thebti.bsky.social colleagues and Im already excited to hear what more the Anthropocene has in store But if you are ever pessimistic, a dose of the New York City skyline is always a great reminder of what the human-built world can be like

011

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Kazakhstan has issued some unfortunate news with some concerning implications for nuclear energy. Apparently, Kazatomprom (Kazakhstan’s national company) will lower uranium mine production by 10% in 2026 due to insufficient returns, as they say🧵 www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/kaz...

world-nuclear-news.org

Kazatomprom to lower uranium production in 2026

The national atomic company of Kazakhstan has announced plans for a roughly 10% cut in its uranium production in 2026, saying it does not view the current supply-demand balance and existing uncovered ...

100

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Seaver Wang @wang-seaver.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

New from me: political thinkers debating America’s future should avoid too narrowly conflating solar success with good energy policy. The political and technical messiness of the grid will pose complex challenges to both the abundance camp and its critics. 🧵 thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...

thebreakthrough.org

The Solarmaxxing of Abundance and Its Critics

164

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

Some may not realize that rare earths are mined together as a combination of elements. The USGS reports the distribution for some prominent mines. I thought it was more striking as a bar chart with some color so I adapted it into the chart shown below 🧵

110

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

I’m looking forward to the Abundance event next week in D.C., but will still miss the @thebti.bsky.social's Dialogue. What other conference could you argue about critical minerals then slip out to the Marin Headlands during the lunch break for a roadside outcrop field trip?

000

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Dr. Adam Stein @astein.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

I was honored to be part of the planning committee for the recent @nationalacademies.org workshop Pathways for New Nuclear Deployment. There are new opportunities for building next-generation reactors to produce reliable, clean energy. However, significant, but solvable, barriers remain.

National Academies workshop Pathways for New Nuclear Development.

131

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

For anyone interested in seafloor minerals, the USGS has a great web viewer of different ocean regions based on nodule vs crustal occurrences: geonarrative.usgs.gov/globalmarine...

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

The value that society places on gold compared to other metals fascinates me given that less than 10% of it sees any type of practical application! But society still benefits even if you dont wear a Rolex because all that money invested into gold subsidizes other metals🧵

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Back in May, the Trump administration announced it would phase out production of the penny, citing the curious reality that it takes more to make it than it’s worth (3.69 cents) But I'm more curious about how much metal we'll save🧵

120

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

The USGS has a great timeline showing when mines and quarries developed across the U.S. since the late 19th century: mrdata.usgs.gov/usmin/ The quarries and pits for industrial minerals are particularly striking to me...🧵

mrdata.usgs.gov

Prospect- and mine-related features on USGS topographic maps

Symbols indicating mining-related features digitized from historical USGS topographic maps in the western part of the conterminous US. Includes prospect pits, mine shafts and adits, quarries, open-pit...

220

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

The U.S.G.S. launched a new web viewer for anyone interested in critical minerals www.usgs.gov/tools/critic... The Critical Mineral Atlas displays some data from their Mineral Commodity Summaries and other reports Pretty useful for a quick fact and the visualization is great

usgs.gov

Critical Minerals Atlas

This Interactive Atlas of Critical Minerals shows you where critical minerals are produced. Discover which countries produce critical minerals, what percent of the world production they are responsibl...

000

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

Looks like the Twin Metals Minnesota mine that the Biden admin canceled in 2022 will be getting another chance The Trump admin made moves that signal it will offer the project new leases I think this is the right move 🧵 www.doi.gov/sites/defaul...

doi.gov

100

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Seaver Wang @wang-seaver.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Great balanced piece by @alexckaufman.bsky.social on a new @natclimate.nature.com paper and risks of energy mineral shortages. Predicting mineral use to 2100 is hard, with many uncertainties/substitutions that could—and IMO arguably will—avoid mineral exhaustion. www.theatlantic.com/science/arch...

theatlantic.com

The Clean-Energy Equation No One Can Solve Yet

Does the world have enough key minerals?

032

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

This piece of U.S. mining legislation proposed back in June is worth taking a look at 🧵 www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...

congress.gov

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

The 2025 US Critical Mineral list was due in February..... Seriously though, where is it? 🧵

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 09/08/2025

Do you think that Alvin Toffler would have considered "forgetting" stuff the same as "unlearning" it? Because if so I must be already living in the 22nd century

000

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act phased out tax credits for critical minerals and gave them to metallurgical coal—which the US net exports This is the latest setback for the US’s strategy to secure supply chains against China My @thebti.bsky.social article on why thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...

thebreakthrough.org

The Trump Administration Just Subsidized Chinese Steel

121

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, you can only imagine how honored I am that @sierraclub.org used a line from a @thebti.bsky.social article on critical minerals. A citation would have been nice though....🧵

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

Great to see Alcoa getting into the gallium game in Australia! China controls basically 99% of global gallium production and has not been shy about flexing export controls as a trade tactic. The more gallium producers outside of China the better🧵 www.businesswire.com/news/home/20...

110

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

Congress introduced a bipartisan critical mineral bill on July 28 called the Critical Minerals Investment Tax Modernization Act. The bill would raise the depletion allowance for rare earth elements from 14% to 22%. 🧵 adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-....

adriansmith.house.gov

Smith, Panetta, Reschenthaler Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Critical Mineral Production

Washington, DC — Today Representatives Adrian Smith (R-NE), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) announced the introduction of the bipartisan Critical Minerals Investment Tax Modernizati...

111

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

For anyone interested in tracking the great work done by the US Geological Survey I suggest checking out the progress of their Earth Mapping Resource Initiative with this interactive viewer🧵 ngmdb.usgs.gov/emri/#3.76/4...

ngmdb.usgs.gov

Earth MRI Acquisitions Map

The Earth MRI acquisitions map provides you with contact and related information for Earth MRI funded data acquisition projects.

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

This new potential US graphite source totally took me by surprise but great to see! Apparently the Empire State zinc mine in New York stumbled on a graphite deposit back in 2023 and is now expecting to send graphite to market by 2026🧵 www.wwnytv.com/2025/07/10/s...

wwnytv.com

St. Lawrence Co. mine to become first U.S. graphite supplier in 70 years

Empire State Mines unexpectedly unearthed graphite and is now set to become the first U.S. supplier of the mineral in more than 7 decades.

100

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Flying home yesterday from @thebti.bsky.social's event in D.C. to release our new critical mineral stockpiling report I couldn't help but notice a geological curiosity right in my backyard....... Sutter Buttes 🧵 bsky.app/profile/cook...

111

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Building US critical mineral supply chains is hard enough - market volatility and export dumping only makes it harder So Im excited to release @thebti.bsky.social's report that maps 15 US mineral supply chains and which commodities would be best to stockpile under a strategic reserve 🧵

100

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Seaver Wang @wang-seaver.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Should a US national critical minerals reserve program act more like the National Defense Stockpile or more like the Strategic Petroleum Reserve? Major new report by my team deep dives into this question, looking at 15 minerals relevant to energy. My thoughts🧵: thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...

thebreakthrough.org

Taking Inventory of Critical Mineral Stockpiling

The Breakthrough Institute is an environmental research center based in Berkeley, California. Our research focuses on identifying and promoting…

195

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Ryan Alimento @ryanalimento.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

In our new report, colleagues @cookpj.bsky.social @wang-seaver.bsky.social and I outline a policy framework and recommend best practices for a critical mineral reserve that would promote market stability and global competitiveness for US advanced energy industries thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...

thebreakthrough.org

Taking Inventory of Critical Mineral Stockpiling

The Breakthrough Institute is an environmental research center based in Berkeley, California. Our research focuses on identifying and promoting…

122

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Seaver Wang @wang-seaver.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

New original analysis by colleague @ryanalimento.bsky.social argues green urea production stays far too pricey for widespread application for Sub-Saharan African countries even at green H2 costs <$1/kg. But low-CO2 blue urea via gas + CO2 capture may prove more affordable. 🧵

133

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Dr. Adam Stein @astein.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

🏗️Trilled to finally introduce ACTION, to accelerate nuclear energy deployment. It is a milestone-based program to address the root causes of project risk for advanced nuclear energy projects. 🔌💡

122

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

Great to see Apple getting into rare earth recycling Im not in the camp that thinks we can recycle our way out of mineral supply shortages But critical minerals pose some different considerations than, say, what we do with old steel scrap.....🧵 www.msn.com/en-us/money/...

msn.com

MSN

100

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Dr. Adam Stein @astein.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

🚨New paper out on reconsidering the radiation protection model at the NRC. The paper discusses what science indicates, what it cannot demonstrate, and how policy is separate but informed by science. We recommend a pragmatic, tiered approach that aligns with other hazards. 🔌💡

Drawing the Line: The Linear
No-Threshold Model, and When are
Doses Too Small to Matter?

332

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 15/07/2025

The US has so far prioritized permitting reform to build more critical mineral mines My latest @thebti.bsky.social article shows why we need to do more on exploration too Remember: permitting is only one stage in developing a mine but even finding a deposit can take just as long!

111

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

Pretty cool that the USGS not only makes geology and spatial data available to the public..... .....but also lets the public help revise it! Looks like the National Map Corps is a crowdsource program for white hat geoscientists and spatial dataset good Samaritans.

110

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Wanna know the only thing I like more than a map that shows geothermal prospects? A map that shows geothermal prospects overlaid on top of US congressional districts🧵

110

Reposted by @cookpj.bsky.social

Seaver Wang @wang-seaver.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Preliminary thoughts: 50% tariffs on copper including imports from Chile and Mexico is misguided policy, inflationary, and counterproductive to any energy dominance or grid buildout agenda. www.reuters.com/business/gol...

reuters.com

Trump copper tariffs set to spark final scramble to get metal across the border

Copper shipments into the United States are expected to accelerate in the coming weeks in a final scramble to get metal across the border before U.S. President Donald Trump's higher than expected 50% tariff on imported copper takes effect.

171

cookpj.bsky.social @cookpj.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Leveling the playing field with China is a big focus of US critical mineral policy Sibanye-Stillwater is calling for price guarantees for western miners to compete with Chinese producers

100