March 31, 2026 -  

A federal judge in Nevada found that the Biden Administration properly approved the Rhyolite Ridge lithium and boron project in Nevada. Environmentalists have been using legal challenges to try to stop the project, in this case specifically arguing that the proposed mine would impact a wildflower. The Court found however, that all of the appropriate reviews were conducted and concerns were addressed. The project will not only be a major step forward in creating a stable domestic supply chain for critical minerals but will create hundreds of new American jobs.

The Department of Energy yesterday extended its emergency order requiring a coal plant in Colorado to remain open past its 2025 closure date. The Craig 1 coal unit was set to close on Dec. 31, 2025, until an emergency order said it must remain operational for 90 days to ensure the availability of reliable power in the region. Yesterday’s order extends that order for another 90 days due to the ongoing risk of power shortages. A poll conducted for the National Mining Association last month found that 57 percent of Americans support keeping coal plants open longer to ensure reliability and affordability of the nation’s electricity supply. 

The Department of Energy and Amazon are working together—and this time they’re using artificial intelligence to work to recover and recycle minerals like battery-grade graphite from waste. Amazon’s bringing its AI capabilities to the table,  while DOE’s National Labs are exploring ways to produce graphite from post-consumer textiles. Should be interesting to see what comes from this effort.