Critical Materials (REE)
Critical Materials Innovation
OLI transforms science into global digital intelligence, powering AI systems that strengthen the shared capacity of the U.S. and its allies to refine, recycle, and recover the materials vital to energy, manufacturing, and defense.
Proven Partner to Innovators Advancing Critical Material Recovery
Advancing the Science of AI-Ready Chemistry
Securing the Future of Critical Materials Through Science
OLI delivers the world’s most rigorous chemistry and automated modeling tools for critical materials. The aim is to remove bottlenecks to support faster scaleup and a stronger supply chain. These foundations will power the physics-informed AI systems that reshape how critical-materials technologies are designed and operated.
The Science
Pioneering Critical-Materials Chemistry
Decades of peer-reviewed thermodynamic research for lithium, rare earths, and complex brines, the scientific backbone that modern automation and future AI must be built on.
The Platform
Automation That Accelerates Scaleup
OLI’s software transforms raw chemistry into automated, scalable workflows that reduce uncertainty, speed design cycles, and remove process bottlenecks across the critical-materials lifecycle.
The Future
AI-Ready, Physics-Informed Innovation
Our validated models create the ideal foundation for next-generation AI, enabling developers to build new flowsheets and work across operating space with understanding that extends beyond data-driven systems.
The Science
Pioneering Critical-Materials Chemistry
Decades of peer-reviewed thermodynamic research for lithium, rare earths, and complex brines, the scientific backbone that modern automation and future AI must be built on.
The Platform
Automation That Accelerates Scaleup
OLI’s software transforms raw chemistry into automated, scalable workflows that reduce uncertainty, speed design cycles, and remove process bottlenecks across the critical-materials lifecycle.
The Future
AI-Ready, Physics-Informed Innovation
Our validated models create the ideal foundation for next-generation AI, enabling developers to build new flowsheets and work across operating space with understanding that extends beyond data-driven systems.
Applied Research Shaping Critical Material Innovation
Decades of focused research built the foundation for OLI’s leadership in critical materials, with each phase expanding scientific understanding and transforming chemical insight into industrial capability.
Evolving Chemistry into Scalable Solutions
With a foundation in advanced thermodynamics, OLI extends its expertise into practical innovation, linking laboratory chemistry with industrial process design to enable sustainable production and the circular use of critical materials.
In association with Idaho National Laboratory, Rutgers University, and Arizona State University, our researchers expanded rare earth thermodynamic datasets for hydroxide, sulfate, and organic ligand systems, refining the MSE model to enable precise simulation of solubility, extraction, and precipitation processes.
Related research papers:
Rare earth sulfates in aqueous systems: Thermodynamic modeling of binary and multicomponent systems
As a founding member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Institute and in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory, Rutgers University, Arizona State University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, OLI developed electrochemical and amine-assisted methods for efficient separation and recovery of neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium from recycled magnets.
Related research papers:
Recovery of rare earth elements from recycled hard disk drive mixed steel and magnet scrap
Rare earth element recovery using monoethanolamine
Recovery of critical and value metals from mobile electronics enabled by electrochemical processing
Working with Idaho National Laboratory, the University of Idaho’s Center for Advanced Energy Studies, and Rutgers University, OLI investigated microbial interactions with rare earths and phosphogypsum bioleaching, identifying biological recovery pathways and contributing to environmental safety and process modeling standards.
Related research papers:
Impacts of anthropogenic gadolinium on the activity of the ammonia oxidizing bacterium
Bio- and mineral acid leaching of rare earth elements from synthetic phosphogypsum
Effects of simulated rare earth recycling wastewaters on biological nitrification
In collaboration with the University of Arizona, Idaho National Laboratory, through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Institute, OLI advanced bioleaching and fractional crystallization methods to recover cobalt and nickel from lithium-ion batteries to improve yield, and purity.
Related research papers:
Sustainable bioleaching of lithium-ion batteries for critical metal recovery
Fractional precipitation of Ni and Co double salts from lithium-ion battery leachates
Meet the Experts
Leading Insight Shaping Industrial Progress
Our experts bring decades of field insight, advancing the chemistry that drives reliable industrial decisions.
CEO
"The next era of American innovation will be defined by how fast we turn understanding into action. OLI makes that possible by transforming first-principles chemistry into full-scale deployment for the materials that power our world."
Andy Rafal
Crtical Materials SME
“When models reflect true chemistry, AI delivers results engineers can trust, from pilot design through full-scale recovery"
Gaurav Das – Principal Chemical Engineer
AI Enablement SME
"Grounding AI in electrolyte thermodynamics allows us to predict chemical reality, not just approximate it. That precision drives measurable progress in materials recovery"
Leslie Miller – Principal Client Solutions Architect
CASE STUDIES
Accelerating Lithium Extraction Together
Every partnership reflects a commitment to deeper understanding and practical advancement. Explore how organizations across the lithium value chain apply OLI’s chemistry and modeling to guide stronger decisions and improve production outcomes.
Thermodynamic Insight for Lithium
Discover how OLI’s thermodynamic simulation tools supported Lilac Solutions in optimizing lithium extraction flowsheets and strengthening the U.S. battery-material supply chain.
Advancing Geothermal Lithium Production
OLI’s predictive chemistry revealed scale risks and supported a more stable path toward dependable geothermal lithium recovery.
Ready to Secure Your Critical Material Advantage?
Ready to Secure Your Critical Material Advantage?