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Momentum Technologies tells Congress its modular plants can speed U.S. rare‑earth processing
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Summary
Momentum Technologies told the House subcommittee its membrane solvent extraction process, validated with federal labs and partners, can produce separated rare‑earths and battery materials at commercial scale using modular plants that reduce permitting time and transport impacts.
WASHINGTON — During a House Natural Resources Subcommittee hearing, Mahesh Kunduru, chief executive officer of Momentum Technologies, argued the United States can close critical‑minerals processing gaps by deploying small, modular—co‑located—processing modules that reduce permitting complexity and speed time to first production.
Kunduru told the committee Momentum's membrane solvent extraction (MSX) technology separates lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earths from batteries, magnets and other byproducts. He said the technology was developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Department of Energy's Critical Minerals Innovation Hub, and "was also validated with support from the Defense Logistics Agency," adding that the company has investor backing.
Kunduru said modular units can be built quickly, co‑located at feedstock sources to avoid lengthy transport permitting and to demonstrate earlier returns for private capital. "Construction takes approximately one year versus three to five years for conventional processing facilities," he said. He recommended federal seed funding to reduce start‑up risk for the first module so private capital will scale the model.
Committee members pressed for details on permitting, emissions, waste streams and state cooperation. Kunduru said Momentum's demonstration facility produced commercial‑grade battery materials in 2025 and that the modular approach allowed faster regulatory interaction in two states where they have worked. Members asked for follow‑up written material to verify validation data and environmental permitting pathways.
Kunduru and other witnesses noted that roughly 90 percent of current separation and processing capacity for many critical minerals is overseas, which increases strategic vulnerability and is a central rationale for promoting domestic processing. The subcommittee did not take legislative action at the hearing but asked witnesses to supply additional technical documentation.
Momentum's testimony left open several verification questions for the committee, including independent confirmation of throughput, life‑cycle environmental impacts and the specific funding the company seeks from federal sources.
