American Elements

American Elements began as a toll chemical manufacturer and refiner serving U.S. mining companies by producing metal-based chemicals from their deposits. In 1998, its two largest customers, the Unocal/Molycorp rare-earth mine in Mountain Pass, California, and the Rhodia rare-earth refinery in Freeport, Texas closed, ending domestic U.S. rare-earth production.{{cite web |url=https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/rare_earths/740499.pdf |title=USGS Minerals Yearbook—1999|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |access-date=July 27, 2018}} In response, the company established mining joint ventures in Inner Mongolia, China and in 1999 became one of the first post-Cold War companies to export rare-earth metals from China to the U.S. and Europe.{{cite web|url=http://www.osa.org/video_library/SearchResultsVideo.aspx?Id=1764299319001 |title=Optical Society of America, 2012 Executive Series|date= June 27, 2012 |publisher=Osa.org |accessdate=2014-08-04}}

Over the following decade the company expanded operations to include production of all elements on the periodic table and established educational programs, scholarships and scientific conferences to educate the public on the properties and applications of the elements. In 2001, it launched its website, which is a compendium of information on the elements and advanced materials including properties, uses, safety data, and academic research.

That same year, the company established its research and development department, of which the stated goal was to develop new materials and cost effective processes in order to scale their production to bulk quantities. Materials with application promise that could not be effectively scaled were abandoned in favor of materials and technologies that had the benefit of being producible at costs in line with their commercial application.{{cite web|url=http://www.americanelements.com/presentations2013.html |title="How Minerals Will Impact Global Geopolitics in the 21st Century" American Elements CEO addresses the New York Mineralogical Club, Oct 9, 2013|publisher=American Elements |accessdate=2016-12-20}} Many of the technologies and materials developed at American Elements were co-designed and co-developed with technology collaborators. The company develops and commercializes technology materials in partnership with the U.S. military and 30 percent of the Fortune 50 list of companies.

On November 12, 2020, the company announced its expansion into the life sciences industry with a new manufacturing group devoted to life science and organic chemistry products.{{cite web |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-elements-launches-life-science-150000868.html|title=American Elements Launches Life Science Manufacturing Group|publisher=Yahoo Finance|date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=November 24, 2020}}

The company has made several new discoveries in materials science. These include:

• Gadolinium nitrate made with heavy water (Gd(NO₃)₃ · 2H₂O) for use as a neutron "gainer" during nuclear reactor maintenance
• A rare-earth compound used as a dry-film lubricant at extremely high temperatures and pressures
• A nanoscale that quickly dissolves powder used in orally disintegrating pharmaceuticals
• A neodymium oxide-based additive to reduce yellow-green wavelength emission in incandescent light bulbs
• Zinc oxide nanoparticles incorporated as an antimicrobial agent in textiles{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NG0b6FLAkzoC|title=Nanotechnology: Fundamentals and Applications|isbn=9788189866990|last1=Karkare|first1=Manasi|date=2010-09-30|page=16|publisher=I. K. International Pvt }}
• A high-purity form of ytterbium(III) fluoride for use as a radiopaque material in dental composites
• A nanoscale electrolyte material in next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries.
• Iridium parts for the jewelry industry, most notably pure iridium rings and wedding bands.{{cite web|url=http://www.diamondworld.net/contentview.aspx?item=4242 |title=Diamond World, American Elements introduces new Iridium metal to jewellery manufacturing |date= October 3, 2009 |publisher=Diamondworld.net |accessdate=2014-08-04}} The company established Smithson Tennant,{{cite web|url=https://www.americanelements.com/irmwb.html |title=Iridium Rings {{pipe}} AMERICAN ELEMENTS |publisher=americanelements.com |accessdate=2016-11-03}} a new wholly owned subsidiary, in November 2016 to make and market its iridium jewelry production.

The advanced materials manufactured by the company include:

• Ultra-high-purity forms of each element
• Bulk chemicals, research compounds and catalysts
• Rare earths
• Nanomaterials such as nanoparticles and graphene
• Sputtering targets and evaporation materials
• Organometallics
• Alloys, superalloys, and metal parts
• Pharmaceutical precursors
• Fusion Energy materials {{cite web | title=American Elements Announces New Fusion Energy Division.|url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/american-elements-announces-fusion-energy-181000353.html|publisher=Yahoo Finance|date=6 February 2023}}

In 2006, the company established the not-for-profit American Elements Academics & Periodicals Department. This department provides information on (1) the ways elemental advanced materials are used,{{cite web|title=The RealSide|url=http://www.therealside.com/show/2011-12-28 |access-date=November 15, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003022501/http://www.therealside.com/show/2011-12-28 |archive-date=October 3, 2012 }} (2) global issues affecting the mining and production of the elements{{cite web|url=http://www.petroleumnews.com/pnads/15189304.shtml |title=Mining News: China moves to gain high-tech dominance |publisher=Petroleumnews.com |date=2011-10-30 |accessdate=2014-08-04}}{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/china-trade-eu-idUSL5E8ED6520120313 |title=REUTERS, WRAPUP 4-US, EU, Japan take on China at WTO over rare earths |date= March 13, 2012 |publisher=Reuters.com |accessdate=2014-08-04}} and (3) ways to improve the teaching of science at all grade levels. Since its founding, the department has sponsored thousands of conferences on materials science, the elements, mining, and physics.{{cite web|url=https://www.americanelements.com/eventspressreleases.html |title=AE Press Releases |publisher=americanelements.com |date= |accessdate=2014-08-04}} In 2011, it co-sponsored, along with the National Science Foundation, a four-part PBS Nova television series on materials science called "Making Stuff".{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/making-stuff.html|title=NOVA: Making Stuff|publisher=PBS|accessdate=July 27, 2018}} The department promotes improved transparency in global metal markets.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7MXACaJCAw |title=NTDTV, Business Delegates Lambast China's Rare Earth Mineral Restrictions |publisher=YouTube.com |date=2011-09-16 |accessdate=2014-08-04}} It believes future global rare-earth prices tend to move upward or downward in reaction to China's then-projected GDP (gross domestic product).{{cite web|last=Onstad |first=Eric |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rareearths-outlook-idUSBRE88I0O020120919 |title=Analysis: Rare earth prices to erode on fresh supply, China |publisher=Reuters.com |date=2012-09-19 |accessdate=2014-08-04}}{{cite web|url=http://nma.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Mining_Journal_pages_15-16.pdf |author=Chris Cann|title=Time for Change|publisher=Mining Journal |date=2014-02-28 |accessdate=2014-08-04}} The company publishes an annual Endangered Elements List naming that year's top five elements that, due to their geopolitical scarcity, pose a threat to the future of American high-technology manufacturing.{{cite web|url=http://americanresources.org/industry-input-on-critical-minerals-the-endangered-elements-list/ |title=Industry input on critical minerals – the Endangered Elements List |publisher=Americanresources.org |date=2012-12-10 |accessdate=2014-08-04}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/endangered-elements_b_2211745.html|title=5 Endangered Elements That America Needs|publisher=Huffington Post|date=November 19, 2012}}

Michael Silver is the founder and CEO of American Elements. He is considered an expert in the fields of rare earths,{{cite web|url=http://www.executiveinterviews.com/delivery/v1/mini/default.asp?CI=N&order=U18350US |title=The Rare Earth Elements in Your Smartphone, Interview with Corey Johnson |publisher=Bloomberg TV|date=2014-08-08}} particularly in the political and economic issues surrounding the global supply chain, and writes and speaks frequently on the subject.{{cite web|url=https://www.nasdaq.com/article/rare-earth-junior-miners-should-applaud-china-michael-silver-cm143343 |title=Rare Earth Junior Miners Should Applaud China |publisher=Community.nasdaq.com |date=2012-05-22 |accessdate=2018-03-21}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/world/asia/afghanistan-trump-mineral-deposits.html |title=Trump Finds Reason for the U.S. to Remain in Afghanistan: Minerals |author=Mark Landler and James Risen|work=New York Times |date=2017-07-25 |accessdate=2018-06-15}}{{cite web|url=http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/5797162626001/ |publisher=Fox News|title=American Elements CEO to Trump: Stop North Korea's radioactive black market|date=June 13, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/help-afghans-exploit-their-mineral-riches-1504133000 |title=Help Afghans Exploit Their Mineral Riches|first=Michael|last=Silver|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=August 30, 2017}} Silver coined the phrases "Innovation Distortion",{{cite web|url=http://www.mining-journal.com/north-america/news/1147086/critical-materials-issues-cut |title=Critical materials issues cut both ways |publisher=Mining Journal |date=2014-03-28 |accessdate=2018-03-21}} a description of efforts to avoid the use of a given element solely because of concerns that it may be hoarded by nations with resource control of that material, and the "Environmentalist's Catch-22" to describe the dilemma faced by those who both support a green technology future reliant on solar energy, wind power, electric cars and fuel cells and concurrently oppose the mining of the critical metals from which these technologies are manufactured.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/michael-silver-the-environmentalists-catch-22-1412808613 |title=The Environmentalist's Catch-22 |publisher=Wall Street Journal|last=Silver |first=Michael |date=October 8, 2014 |accessdate=2018-07-27}}

Silver is also an active philanthropist in the science and arts. In 2011, he funded and hosted a delegation from the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California to the Inner Mongolian Medical Teaching College in Baotou, China which has led to student and teacher exchanges and the development of a joint AIDS program. He is a trustee of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the [https://www.conservation.org/projects/Pages/Sarara-Initiative.aspx Sarara Initiative] in Northern Kenya and the council of the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. He also serves on the council for the Getty Villa in Malibu and has underwritten artists in residence at the UCLA Hammer Museum. He has made in-kind donations of artwork to the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, DC.{{cite web |url=http://www.news.artjobs.com/art-news/ica-la-announces-inaugural-gala-bruncheon-honoring-carrie-mae-weems-capital-campaign |title=ICA LA Announces Inaugural Gala Bruncheon Honoring Carrie Mae Weems, A Capital Campaign Milestone and Three New Board Members |publisher=ICA LA |date= |accessdate=2014-02-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820035015/http://www.news.artjobs.com/art-news/ica-la-announces-inaugural-gala-bruncheon-honoring-carrie-mae-weems-capital-campaign |archive-date=2017-08-20 |url-status=dead }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.americanelements.com}}

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Category:Manufacturing companies based in California

Category:Chemical companies of the United States

Category:Companies based in Los Angeles

Category:American companies established in 1997

Category:1997 establishments in California