{"689713":{"#nid":"689713","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Universities and U.K. Partners Strengthen Collaboration on Critical Minerals at GEMS\u20114 Symposium","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn February, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;together with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gsu.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiamining.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/world\/organisations\/british-consulate-general-atlanta\u0022\u003EBritish Consulate\u2011General Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, hosted the fourth Growing Partnerships for Essential Minerals (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGEMs\u20114\u003C\/a\u003E) workshop in Atlanta. The workshop built on a growing transatlantic partnership dedicated to advancing innovation across the critical minerals value chain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;two\u2011day event took place Feb. 4 \u2013 5, coinciding with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.state.gov\/releases\/office-of-the-spokesperson\/2026\/02\/2026-critical-minerals-ministerial\u0022\u003ECritical Minerals Ministerial\u003C\/a\u003E hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, which brought together more than 50 nations to strengthen and diversify global critical mineral supply chains. During this ministerial, U.K. Minister Seema Malhotra and U.S. Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg signed a Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening bilateral cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom on critical mineral supply chains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese broad efforts are supported by White House Executive Order 14363, which defines the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/genesis.energy.gov\/\u0022\u003EGenesis Mission\u003C\/a\u003E and aims to accelerate scientific discovery through AI. The order identifies critical minerals supply chain resilience as a national security imperative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Atlanta, these themes were brought to life in real time. The GEMs-4 workshop brought together researchers, policymakers, national labs, industry leaders, and workforce organizations from both the U.S. and the U.K. to address shared challenges in technology translation, permitting, investment, and talent development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe state of Georgia\u2019s integrated ecosystem, linking research universities, legacy industries, technical colleges, national labs, and public\u2011private partnerships, served as a case study. Presenters highlighted how existing industrial assets in the Southeast are being incorporated into emerging clean energy and critical minerals supply chains, offering a model for other regions seeking to build capabilities around extraction, processing, and manufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA U.K. member of Parliament representing Cornwall, where the U.K. has lithium reserves and deep critical mineral expertise, joined the convening, as well as representatives from the U.K. Critical Mineral Association, Camborne School of Mines, and the University of Kent. Together, they explored opportunities and challenges, from a fundamental science to a commercialization perspective grounded in real-world experience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe alignment between the ministerial in Washington and the expertise present in Atlanta demonstrated the value of state-level engagement and how national agreements translate into practical collaboration on the ground.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Southeast has the research depth, industrial footprint, and collaborative spirit needed to lead in critical minerals innovation,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/energy.gatech.edu\/people\/yuanzhi-tang\u0022\u003EYuanzhi Tang\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Power Professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute, and founding director of the Center for Critical Mineral Solutions at Georgia Tech. \u201cGEMs\u20114 showed what\u2019s possible when universities, industry, and government partners align around shared priorities.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDay one featured strategic dialogue on critical mineral resources, innovation pathways, and partnership models. A recurring theme was the co-production of critical minerals alongside major mineral commodities. \u201cMany critical minerals are produced as byproducts of larger mining operations, making it essential to integrate recovery strategies into existing mineral industries rather than developing entirely new extraction systems,\u201d noted \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cas.gsu.edu\/profile\/w-crawford-elliott\/\u0022\u003ECrawford Elliott\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of geosciences at Georgia State University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDay two transitioned to field\u2011based learning, led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/geology.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/paul-schroeder\u0022\u003EPaul Schroeder\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of geology at the University of Georgia. Participants visited active operations to better understand how regional industrial strengths can support national and international supply chain goals. Schroeder said, \u201cConnecting people to the long-standing mineral extraction economy at the mining and plant sites, where the work gets done with an amazingly skilled workforce, underscores the unique role of Georgia\u2019s place\u2011based capacity in advancing national and transatlantic supply\u0026nbsp;chain goals.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrganizers emphasized that resilient supply chains rely on regional capabilities built over time through university collaboration, industry partnerships, and community engagement. With three years of inter\u2011university coordination now underpinning the GEMS platform, the 2026 workshop demonstrated how the Southeast is contributing actionable models for U.S.-U.K. cooperation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEcosystem-building at this scale requires participation from every part of the value chain, and we are encouraged by the model GEMs presents,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rachel-galloway-518014292\/\u0022\u003ERachel Galloway\u003C\/a\u003E, Consul General at British Consulate General Atlanta. \u201cThe collaboration across universities, industry, and government is exactly what enables long\u2011term impact on both sides of the Atlantic.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough focused dialogue and partnership-building, the symposium strengthened transatlantic collaboration, highlighted regional strengths, and accelerated innovation and translation across the critical minerals value chain, from resource characterization and processing to recycling, manufacturing, and deployment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about the GEMS initiative, visit: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn February, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;together with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gsu.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgiamining.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/world\/organisations\/british-consulate-general-atlanta\u0022\u003EBritish Consulate\u2011General Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, hosted the fourth Growing Partnerships for Essential Minerals (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gems.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGEMs\u20114\u003C\/a\u003E) workshop in Atlanta. The workshop built on a growing transatlantic partnership dedicated to advancing innovation across the critical minerals value chain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In February, the Georgia Institute of Technology,  together with the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, the Georgia Mining Association, and the British Consulate\u2011General Atlanta, hosted the fourth GEMs workshop."}],"uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2026-04-13 17:45:13","changed_gmt":"2026-04-13 18:25:18","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679927":{"id":"679927","type":"image","title":"20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGroup photo of the attendees of the GEMs-4 symposium.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776102371","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:46:11","changed":"1776102371","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:46:11","alt":"Attendees of the GEMs-4 symposium","file":{"fid":"264149","name":"20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1521193,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/20260204_GEMs-IV-Group-Photo_LR.jpeg?itok=46uGjXAX"}},"679928":{"id":"679928","type":"image","title":"31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDay 2 of the symposium included a visit to a Georgia mining operation.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776102491","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:48:11","changed":"1776102491","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:48:11","alt":"Day 2 of the symposium included a visit to a Georgia mining operation","file":{"fid":"264150","name":"31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2766293,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/31932AB2-B646-4E29-9BEF-3FD7C6054815.JPG.jpeg?itok=6UE7bW0o"}},"679929":{"id":"679929","type":"image","title":"P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAttendees at the GEMs-4 workshop\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Attendees at the GEMs-4 workshop","file":{"fid":"264151","name":"P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":672603,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003694-Attendees-LR.jpeg?itok=WORRhc1_"}},"679930":{"id":"679930","type":"image","title":"P1003821-panel.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECritical Mineral Significance and Resources Panel at the GEMs-4 symposium\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Panelists discussing at the GEMs-4 symposium","file":{"fid":"264152","name":"P1003821-panel.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":614552,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/P1003821-panel.jpeg?itok=wPJagMbS"}},"679931":{"id":"679931","type":"image","title":"P1003941-AttendeeQuestions.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAttendee asking a question to the panel at the GEMS-4 Symposium\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776103013","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","changed":"1776103013","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:56:53","alt":"Attendee asking a question to the panel at the GEMS-4 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Development"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPriya Devarajan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sydnie.hammond@fcdo.gov.uk\u0022\u003ESydnie Hammond\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EBritish Consulate-Atlanta\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ahead13@gsu.edu\u0022\u003EAmanda Head\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Kay.Torrance@uga.edu\u0022\u003EKay Alison Torrance\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:leelemke@georgiamining.org\u0022\u003ELee Lemke\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGeorgia Mining Association\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["priya.devarajan@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}