May 2025 Metallurgy Blog
Looking for Metallurgy Consulting? Check out our Team. Click here.
Scroll down for more content!
Scroll down for more content!
May 10, 2025
MIT Project Weighs Benefits of Ocean Mining Vs Environmental Impact
MIT Project Weighs Benefits of Ocean Mining Vs Environmental Impact
Credit: MIT
Beneath the vast expanse of the ocean lies a potential solution to the growing global demand for critical minerals. Scattered across the deep-sea bed are ancient, mineral-rich rocks known as polymetallic nodules—each about the size of a closed fist. These, along with other deposits near hydrothermal vents, ridges, and seamounts, contain essential elements used in lithium-ion batteries, solar cells, and electronic devices.
“In parts of the ocean, there are much more of these resources than in land-based reserves,” says Thomas Peacock, professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. “The question is: Can it be less impactful to mine some of these resources from the ocean, rather than from land?”
Peacock and his team at MIT’s Environmental Dynamics Laboratory (ENDLab) are working to answer that question with scientific rigor. Their research focuses on the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a Pacific Ocean region rich in polymetallic nodules. Over the past decade, the team has developed advanced sensors and modeling tools to study the sediment plumes created by deep-sea mining operations—an important factor in evaluating environmental impact. They have also analyzed data from past studies and technology trails which are essential to gauge environmental impact and to improve plume modeling.
Findings from a 2022 CCZ study show that the majority of sediment from mining vehicles remains close to the ocean floor. “New model breakthroughs can help us make increasingly trustworthy predictions,” Peacock explains. His team’s work is redefining how sediment plumes are monitored and interpreted — potentially paving the way for safe ocean mining with minimal environmental impact. Learn more about this topic here.
“In parts of the ocean, there are much more of these resources than in land-based reserves,” says Thomas Peacock, professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. “The question is: Can it be less impactful to mine some of these resources from the ocean, rather than from land?”
Peacock and his team at MIT’s Environmental Dynamics Laboratory (ENDLab) are working to answer that question with scientific rigor. Their research focuses on the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a Pacific Ocean region rich in polymetallic nodules. Over the past decade, the team has developed advanced sensors and modeling tools to study the sediment plumes created by deep-sea mining operations—an important factor in evaluating environmental impact. They have also analyzed data from past studies and technology trails which are essential to gauge environmental impact and to improve plume modeling.
Findings from a 2022 CCZ study show that the majority of sediment from mining vehicles remains close to the ocean floor. “New model breakthroughs can help us make increasingly trustworthy predictions,” Peacock explains. His team’s work is redefining how sediment plumes are monitored and interpreted — potentially paving the way for safe ocean mining with minimal environmental impact. Learn more about this topic here.
May 31, 2025
US Steel- Nippon Steel Partnership Ignites Controversy
US Steel- Nippon Steel Partnership Ignites Controversy
The trump administration announced a new partnership between U.S. Steel and Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel that they say will keep the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh and bring $14 billion in investment to the U.S. economy. Trump stated the partnership would create at least 70,000 jobs, with the majority of the investment occurring over the next 14 months.
Details remain unclear about the nature of the deal—whether it is a true partnership or a foreign acquisition—and how much control U.S. Steel will retain. President Joe Biden had previously blocked the $14.3 billion acquisition during his last week in office, citing concerns over foreign ownership of a historically significant American company.
Despite his initial opposition to foreign control, Trump’s administration recently signaled potential approval by requesting an extension in a lawsuit U.S. Steel and Nippon filed against the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which is reviewing the deal for national security concerns. Nippon has pledged $14 billion in investment, including a $4 billion steel mill, if the deal proceeds.
U.S. Steel expressed support for Trump, calling him “a bold leader and businessman,” and said the company would grow stronger through the partnership. However, the United Steel Workers union criticized the deal, warning it would harm American workers and national security. Political leaders in Pennsylvania offered mixed reactions, with some praising the investment and others warning of negative consequences. Learn more about this topic here.
Details remain unclear about the nature of the deal—whether it is a true partnership or a foreign acquisition—and how much control U.S. Steel will retain. President Joe Biden had previously blocked the $14.3 billion acquisition during his last week in office, citing concerns over foreign ownership of a historically significant American company.
Despite his initial opposition to foreign control, Trump’s administration recently signaled potential approval by requesting an extension in a lawsuit U.S. Steel and Nippon filed against the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which is reviewing the deal for national security concerns. Nippon has pledged $14 billion in investment, including a $4 billion steel mill, if the deal proceeds.
U.S. Steel expressed support for Trump, calling him “a bold leader and businessman,” and said the company would grow stronger through the partnership. However, the United Steel Workers union criticized the deal, warning it would harm American workers and national security. Political leaders in Pennsylvania offered mixed reactions, with some praising the investment and others warning of negative consequences. Learn more about this topic here.
© Copyright BHC Associates, Inc., 2020 - 2025. All rights reserved.
