Ceramic and glass business news of the week for July 8, 2024

PLANTS, CENTERS, AND FACILITIES

SCHOTT produces final segment blanks for world’s largest telescope mirror

SCHOTT successfully shipped its final segment blanks for the Extremely Large Telescope’s main mirror, made from its glass-ceramic ZERODUR. At 39 meters in diameter, the segmented M1 mirror will be the largest optical telescope mirror ever built.

American Rare Earths gets $7.1M grant to advance Cowboy State mine in Wyoming

American Rare Earths announced that the Cowboy State mine at its Halleck Creek project in Wyoming was approved for up to $7.1 million in state-backed, nondilutive funding through a grant. The funding agreement was reached with support from the Wyoming Energy Authority and the University of Wyoming Energy Resources Council.

Chinese geologists unearth two novel minerals at world’s largest rare earth mine

The Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that two new niobium–scandium minerals, named Oboniobite and Scandio-fluoro-eckermannite, were discovered in the Bayan Obo deposit in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Since 1959, 20 new minerals, including these two, have been discovered in this deposit.

TIKA opens advanced laboratories across Pakistan

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordi­nation Agency recently com­pleted and inaugurated a series of advanced laboratories across Paki­stan. One of the new laboratories is the Ceramics and Prosthesis Lab at Jinnah Dental Hospital in In Muzaffarabad, which will focus on improving the production of dental prosthetics and ceramic restorations.

ACQUISITIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Heidelberg Materials acquires concrete recycling and materials business in south Texas

Heidelberg Materials North America acquired all assets of Aaron Materials, a concrete recycler and materials producer in the Corpus Christi area of south Texas. The operations include concrete crushing, stabilized materials, and a volumetric concrete business.

ORNL and Japan collaborate to boost advanced materials research and manufacturing

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and National Institute of Materials Science signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a cooperative relationship in the areas of advanced materials and manufacturing through the development of new materials and manufacturing processes.

Purdue leading $6M DOE-sponsored research for nuclear reactor technologies

Purdue University received a $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to lead a consortium that will revitalize nuclear research facilities and expand university-led research for small modular reactor and advanced reactor technologies. The group consists of five universities and colleges and two national labs.

Northwest Ohio Glass Innovation Hub coming to Perrysburg

The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University will work together alongside industry partners to conduct cutting-edge research and educate highly skilled scientists to support the new Northwest Ohio Glass Innovation Hub. Governor Mike DeWine says that more Innovation Hub locations will be announced in the coming weeks.

Siemens and Boson Energy will turn waste into hydrogen for EV charging

Energy equipment and solutions developer Boson Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with Siemens AG to collaborate on technology that converts nonrecyclable waste into clean energy, enabling hydrogen-powered electric vehicle charging without compromising grid stability.

OTHER STORIES

Otto Schott Research Award honors distinguished glass scientist

Professor Setsuhisa Tanabe of Kyoto University was awarded the 18^th Otto Schott Research Award. Granted biennially since 1991, the award is named after Otto Schott, a pioneer in specialty glass development. The honor highlights Tanabe’s leadership in the field of active optical materials and the ongoing significance of materials science.

India initiates antidumping probe into import of glass fiber from China, Thailand, Bahrain

India initiated an antidumping probe into the import of glass fiber from China, Thailand, Bahrain following a complaint by a domestic player. If it is established that the dumping has caused material injury to domestic players, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies would recommend the imposition of antidumping duty on these imports.

CCA launches project addressing rising trend of self-documentation in construction work

The Canadian Construction Association announced the launch of “madskills: Self-documenting construction on social media,” an exhibition and research project addressing the rising trend of self-documentation in construction work, which has led to a greater visibility of the industry, its workers, and their material culture.

MARKET TRENDS

Community solar expands access to clean energy

A June 2024 study by researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that people who adopt community solar are 6.1 times more likely to live in multifamily buildings, are 4.4 times more likely to rent, and earn 23% less annual income than rooftop solar adopters who skew wealthy.

IEA policy review highlights US leadership on energy security and clean energy transitions

The United States has made significant strides in its efforts to ensure a secure, sustainable, and affordable energy system in recent years thanks to government actions that have helped unleash a surge in clean energy investment, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest review of U.S. energy policies.

US government helps nuclear energy allies catch up to Russia and China

The U.S. State Department’s Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology, along with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, help 45 allied countries build nuclear power programs. Seventeen more countries are on a waiting list. The State Department has spent $75 million on its program since 2021.

NEW PRODUCTS

ORNL develops Slicer 2 software for large-scale additive manufacturing

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers developed the first additive manufacturing slicing computer application to simultaneously speed and simplify digital conversion of accurate, large-format 3D parts in a factory production setting. The technology can help widen the use of 3D-printed objects made from metallic and composite materials.

3D-printed ceramic jaw implant successfully placed in patient for first time

In a breakthrough for medical applications, a 3D-printed ceramic subperiosteal jaw implant was successfully placed in a patient for the first time. This implant, which was fabricated by Lithoz, marks a significant advancement for medicine and is part of the EU-funded INKplant project, which aims to create 3D-printed implants to treat various pathologies.

AJAX Engineering launches AI-driven concrete GPT platform

Concreting equipment manufacturer AJAX Engineering launched Concrete GPT, an artificial intelligence-driven platform for the concrete and construction industry. The platform is available in English, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, and Kannada.