This project is actively seeking sponsors.

Black shales have been known to concentrate important battery metals such as vanadium, cobolt, and nickel. Using a field-based approach, we will collect samples systematically in the field and analyze for critical minerals (CM) and rare earth elements (REE). Pairing this information with sequence stratigraphic interpretations, basin thermal maturity and fluid flow histories, a workflow will be developed to understand how and why certain CMs and REEs are enriched in the Dunkirk black shale. This workflow can be transferred to other sedimentary basins with CM and REE potential.