Emerging Technologies

ME2C Environmental is applying our proven expertise in chemisorption, or sorbent technologies, to develop solutions addressing critical areas of environmental concern for the energy sector.

Rare Earth Elements Extraction & Processing

ME2C Environmental are in the process of developing a sorbent technology that will significantly improve the processing of extracted rare earth elements (REEs) from a variety of sources, including mining and coal ash.

Processing rare earth elements from the ore is currently outsourced to other countries, including China, one of the largest providers of REEs globally. Our technology will allow REEs to be processed domestically in a highly cost-effective, environmentally safe manner thus ensuring a more secure U.S. infrastructure.


Coal Ash Pond & Wastewater Remediation

We believe that contaminated coal ash ponds is the most important environmental crisis facing the U.S. energy sector currently. According to a recent report by Earth Justice, there are more than 1,100 coal ash ponds in more than 37 states. Duke Energy’s coal ash pond cleanup was the largest and most costly cleanup to date.

Coal ash is also a rich source of rare earth elements.

Contaminants from coal ash leach into the soil and water streams, referred to as “wastewater” at coal-fired utilities.

ME2C Environmental is developing a new technology focused based on chemisorption focused on acid leaching as a capture method. Acid leaching is widely used to extract rare earth elements. ME2C’s new technology will be introduced into the leaching process and will significantly reduce the amount of caustic acid required. This new technology will also capture contaminants and other minerals from coal ash ponds and wastewater.

More information describing our new technology for rare earths will be available as laboratory testing is completed. We are working to move toward in-field testing late 2021.