Common minerals and used cardboard could become new sources of high-value materials through two projects led by RTI International, an independent scientific research institute, with $5.5 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The new projects will be conducted at the RTI Pilot Xcelerator, a research and development platform that helps move technologies from laboratory testing toward real-world use. RTI is scheduled to celebrate the opening of a $14 million facility expansion on Sept. 10, doubling RTI’s infrastructure for pilot-scale testing of energy and industrial process innovations.
“These DOE awards reflect our shared interest in advancing practical solutions to complex industrial challenges,” said David Dausch, Ph.D., vice president, engineering and advanced technology at RTI. “By conducting this work at the RTI Pilot Xcelerator, our team and partners can test approaches for recovering valuable products while collecting the performance data needed to assess the technologies at a larger scale.”
One of the projects is focused on converting abundant natural minerals into critical materials for advanced manufacturing and energy. Sameer Parvathikar, Ph.D., Program Director for the RTI Pilot Xcelerator, will lead the work for RTI in partnership with Gunnadoo Consulting LLC and Thar Energy LLC.
The team will explore a new way to turn olivine into several valuable products including materials needed for modern steelmaking, hydrogen fuel, soil improvement products and ingredients used in construction. The technology could help strengthen U.S. manufacturing supply chains, support industrial processes and make more efficient use of natural resources.
The second project will explore a new way to recycle cardboard boxes. RTI senior fellow and biofuels director David Dayton, Ph.D., will lead the work for RTI in partnership with the Forest Biorefineries Department at North Carolina State University. The team will use innovative anaerobic digestion technology to make cardboard recycling more efficient. The goal is to operate the next generation process for 100 continuous days, converting at least 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs.) of old cardboard into reusable fiber and biogas. The recycled cardboard yields and process energy efficiency will be compared to existing cardboard recycling methods.
These awards are part of a broader DOE initiative to strengthen the U.S. industrial sector. Projects were selected to advance innovative solutions that lower the cost of producing key commodities and strengthen domestic supply chains.
These new projects illustrate the breadth of technology development activities the expanded RTI Pilot Xcelerator is designed to support. Located on RTI’s campus in Research Triangle Park, the platform provides pilot-scale equipment, engineering expertise, scientific evaluation and commercialization support for companies, startups and government partners.
Published September 2026
