Critical and Strategic Materials and Potential Importance for Geothermal Projects

Abstract

The need for secure supplies of high value, strategic, critical or near-critical materials are a consideration in the assessment of national business interests in the expanding clean energy economy. The definition of what is a strategic, critical or high value material varies over time and is driven by the current status of suppliers, technologies of national interest, the resulting commodity demands and the potential opportunities for substitutions. There is a clear need for a range of materials that may be available from elevated temperature fluids in the United States (U.S.). The Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a program in 2013 to evaluate the resource potential and methods for recovery, and is continuing that effort with an expanded Phase 2 initiated during 2015. This paper describes recent research progress in the program, planned additional work and the rationale for continued research.