USU Biological Engineering Researchers Receive Grant to Advance Sustainable Critical Mineral Recovery

Researchers in Utah State University's Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering have received a new research award to investigate an innovative approach for recovering minerals essential to batteries, electronics and renewable energy technologies.

The approximately $27,000 award from Biomass Energy Systems Inc. will fund student William Fulks for a one-year proof-of-concept project led by Ronald Sims and Anhong Zhou exploring how algae can recover valuable minerals from the Great Salt Lake and coal ash produced by coal-fired power plants.

The project addresses a growing national challenge. As demand for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and consumer electronics continues to increase, so does the need for minerals such as lithium, magnesium and cobalt. Most of these materials are currently obtained through mining or imported from other countries. The Utah State research team is investigating whether biological engineering can provide a sustainable alternative by recovering valuable minerals already present in natural and industrial resources throughout Utah.

"Our project is about capturing critical minerals that are necessary for making batteries and electronics of all sorts," Sims said.

Rather than searching for new mineral deposits, the research focuses on two readily available resources. The Great Salt Lake naturally contains lithium and other critical minerals, while coal ash, a byproduct of coal-fired power plants, can also contain recoverable quantities of lithium, cobalt and magnesium. Instead of viewing coal ash solely as waste, the researchers see it as an untapped resource that could contribute to future domestic mineral production.

At the center of the project is Utah State University's Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactor, a technology developed through years of biological engineering research. The system grows algae on rotating surfaces that alternately pass through water and air. As the algae grow, they naturally absorb dissolved minerals from the surrounding water, concentrating them into a much smaller amount of biomass.

This biological process allows researchers to recover minerals more efficiently than attempting to extract them directly from large volumes of water. After the algae accumulate the minerals, the biomass is processed using thermochemical treatment. Because the minerals do not burn during the process, they remain in the residual ash, allowing them to be recovered for future industrial use.

The same process can be applied to water produced by washing coal ash. In both cases, algae serve as a biological collector, concentrating valuable minerals from dilute water sources into biomass that can later be processed for recovery.

"Our goal is to take a large volume of water and move those minerals into a much smaller volume of algae," Sims said. "That algae can then become the feedstock for recovering those critical minerals."

Beyond recovering valuable materials, the technology offers significant environmental benefits.

Unlike traditional extraction methods that rely on evaporation ponds, the rotating algae biofilm reactor continuously circulates water without removing it from the Great Salt Lake. As Utah continues efforts to conserve one of its most important natural resources, the ability to recover minerals without increasing water consumption represents a major advantage.

The technology may also help improve water quality. Sims explained that although lithium concentrations in the Great Salt Lake are not considered hazardous, declining lake levels expose sediments that contain concentrated minerals. During windstorms, those sediments can become airborne, creating concerns for nearby communities, agriculture and air quality. Recovering minerals directly from the water before they become concentrated in exposed lakebed sediments could help reduce those long-term environmental risks while creating an additional domestic source of critical minerals.

The award also reflects the department's commitment to student-centered research.

Rather than supporting faculty salaries, the funding is dedicated primarily to undergraduate research, letting students work on projects that address real-world engineering challenges.

Undergraduate Biological Engineering student William Fulks, who will enter his junior year this fall, is leading much of the experimental work. Since the project began on June 1, Fulks has designed and constructed 24 rotating algae biofilm reactors, established algae cultures and begun operating the experimental systems that will be used throughout the study.

Over the coming months, he will evaluate how effectively different algae species recover lithium and magnesium from synthetic Great Salt Lake water before researchers begin testing with actual water collected from the lake. He has also been studying lithium concentrations throughout the Great Salt Lake to identify the best sampling locations and researching native blue-green algae that naturally thrive in the lake's highly saline environment.

"This project helps the industry, but it also helps a student learn skills in biological engineering," Sims said.

For Sims, providing students with meaningful research experiences is one of the project's greatest outcomes. Rather than learning engineering concepts exclusively in the classroom, students gain experience designing experiments, building research equipment, collecting environmental samples, analyzing data and working alongside faculty and industry partners on research with practical applications.

Building a Partnership Through Collaboration

While the research itself focuses on sustainable mineral recovery, the project began with a different kind of innovation: collaboration.

Sims credits much of the opportunity to his partnership with Anhong Zhou, whose efforts helped connect Utah State University with BioMADE, a national organization that brings together universities, industry and government to advance biotechnology and strengthen U.S. manufacturing.

With support from the USU College of Engineering, Utah State became a BioMADE member, giving faculty access to national conferences where researchers could connect directly with industry partners. At one of those meetings in Minneapolis, Sims and Zhou met representatives from Biomass Energy Systems Inc., a company specializing in thermochemical processing technologies.

The discussions quickly revealed that the two organizations possessed complementary expertise. Utah State had developed extensive experience using algae to remove materials from water through biological processes, while Biomass Energy Systems specialized in recovering valuable materials from biomass through thermochemical treatment. Together, the technologies offered a promising new approach for recovering critical minerals from both the Great Salt Lake and coal ash.

Following the conference, the team developed a proposal outlining how the combined technologies could be tested through a one-year proof-of-concept study. The collaboration ultimately resulted in the approximately $27,000 research award now supporting the project.

"You never know where opportunities will come from," Sims said. "Networking and building relationships with industry and other researchers make projects like this possible."

For Sims, the project demonstrates the value of partnerships that extend beyond the university. Support from the College of Engineering, collaboration through BioMADE and the partnership with Biomass Energy Systems not only created a new research opportunity but also expanded educational experiences for undergraduate students while strengthening relationships between academia and industry.

Advancing the Mission of SWBEC

The research also supports the mission of the Sustainable Waste-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center, where Sims serves as director. SWBEC develops innovative technologies that transform municipal, industrial, agricultural and environmental resources into valuable bioproducts and recoverable materials.

Working alongside industry, government agencies, municipalities and research institutions, SWBEC develops practical solutions that protect the environment, improve public health, support workforce development and promote sustainable resource management. The center's projects range from laboratory research to pilot-scale demonstrations, giving students opportunities to participate in research that addresses real-world engineering challenges.

The critical mineral recovery project reflects that mission by combining environmental stewardship, applied research and student education within a single interdisciplinary effort.

Looking Ahead

Over the next year, the research team will continue cultivating algae, operating the rotating algae biofilm reactors and evaluating how efficiently different algae species recover lithium, magnesium and other critical minerals from synthetic and natural Great Salt Lake water as well as coal ash leachate. The results will determine whether the technology can move beyond laboratory testing toward larger pilot-scale applications.

If successful, the project could create new opportunities for collaboration with industry while contributing to efforts to strengthen domestic critical mineral production. The findings may also support future research focused on sustainable resource recovery, environmental protection and advanced biomanufacturing technologies.

For Sims, however, the success of the project will be measured by more than scientific discoveries.

In addition to advancing biological engineering research, the award lets undergraduate students participate in interdisciplinary research alongside faculty and industry partners. Those experiences prepare students to enter the workforce with practical skills while contributing to technologies that address some of today's most pressing challenges.

"This project helps the industry, but it also helps a student learn skills in biological engineering," Sims said.

By combining algae biotechnology, undergraduate education and industry collaboration, the project demonstrates how research at Utah State University can benefit both society and the environment. As demand for critical minerals continues to grow, the work led by Sims and Zhou offers a promising approach to recovering resources, supporting domestic manufacturing while protecting Utah's natural resources.