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Rice University partners with Australian co. to boost mineral processing, battery innovation

critical mineral partnership

Locksley Resources will provide antimony-rich feedstocks from a project in the Mojave Desert as part of a new partnership with Rice University that aims to develop scalable methods for extracting and utilizing antimony. Photo via locksleyresources.com.au.

Rice University and Australian mineral exploration company Locksley Resources have joined together in a research partnership to accelerate the development of antimony processing in the U.S. Antimony is a critical mineral used for defense systems, electronics and battery storage.

Rice and Locksley will work together to develop scalable methods for extracting and utilizing antimony. Currently, the U.S. relies on imports for nearly all refined antimony, according to Rice.

Locksley will fund the research and provide antimony-rich feedstocks and rare earth elements from a project in the Mojave Desert. The research will explore less invasive hydrometallurgical techniques for antimony extraction and explore antimony-based materials for use in batteries and other energy storage applications.

“This strategic collaboration with Rice marks a pivotal step in executing Locksley’s U.S. strategy,” Nathan Lude, chairman of Locksley Resources, said in a news release. “By fast-tracking our research program, we are helping rebuild downstream capacity through materials innovation that the country urgently requires.”

Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor of Materials Science and Nanoengineering at Rice, is the principal investigator of the project.

“Developing scalable, domestic pathways for antimony processing is not only a scientific and engineering challenge but also a national strategic priority,” Ajayan said in the news release. “By combining Rice’s expertise in advanced materials with Locksley’s resources, we can address a critical supply chain gap and build collaborations that strengthen U.S. energy resilience.”

The Rice Advanced Materials Institute (RAMI) will play a major role in supporting the advancement of technology and energy-storage applications.

“This partnership aligns with our mission to lead in materials innovations that address national priorities,” Lane Martin, director of RAMI, said in a news release. “By working with Locksley, we are helping to build a robust domestic supply chain for critical materials and support the advancement of next-generation energy technologies.”

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UH lands $1M NSF grant to train future critical minerals workforce

workforce pipeline

The University of Houston has launched a $1 million initiative funded by the National Science Foundation to address the gap in the U.S. mineral industry and bring young experts to the field.

The program will bring UH and key industry partners together to expand workforce development and drive research that fuels innovation. It will be led by Xuqing "Jason" Wu, an associate professor of information science technology.

“The program aims to reshape public perception of the critical minerals industry, highlighting its role in energy, defense and advanced manufacturing,” Wu said in a news release. “Our program aims to showcase the industry’s true, high-tech nature.”

The project will sponsor 10 high school students and 10 community college students in Houston each year. It will include industry mentors and participation in a four-week training camp that features “immersive field-based learning experiences.”

“High school and community college students often lack exposure to career pathways in mining, geoscience, materials science and data science,” Wu added in the release. “This project is meant to ignite student interest and strengthen the U.S. workforce pipeline in the minerals industry by equipping students with technical skills, industry knowledge and career readiness.”

This interdisciplinary initiative will also work with co-principal investigators across fields at UH:

  • Jiajia Sun, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
  • Yan Yao and Jiefu Chen, Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Yueqin Huang, Information Science Technology

According to UH, minerals and rare earth elements have become “essential building blocks of modern life” and are integral components in technology and devices, roads, the energy industry and more.

Houston microgrid company names new CEO

new hire

Houston-based electric microgrid company Enchanted Rock has named a new CEO.

John Carrington has assumed the role after serving as Enchanted Rock's executive chairman since June, the company announced earlier this month.

Carrington most recently was CEO of Houston-based Stem, which offers AI-enabled software and services designed for setting up and operating clean energy facilities. He stepped down as Stem’s CEO in September 2024. Stem, which was founded in 2006 and went public under Carrington's leadership in 2021, was previously based in San Francisco.

Carrington has also held senior leadership roles at Miasolé, First Solar and GE.

Corey Amthor has served as acting CEO of Enchanted Rock since June. He succeeded Enchanted Rock founder Thomas McAndrew in the role, with McAndrew staying on with the company as a strategic advisor and board member. With the hiring of Carrington, Amthor has returned to his role as president. According to the company, Amthor and Carrington will "partner to drive the company’s next phase of growth."

“I’m proud to join a leadership team known for technical excellence and execution, and with our company-wide commitment to innovation, we are well positioned to navigate this moment of unprecedented demand and advance our mission alongside our customers nationwide,” Carrington said in the news release. “Enchanted Rock’s technology platform delivers resilient, clean and scalable ultra-low-emissions onsite power that solves some of the most urgent challenges facing our country today. I’m energized by the strong momentum and growing market demand for our solutions, and we remain committed to providing data centers and other critical sectors with the reliable power essential to their operations.”

This summer, Enchanted Rock also announced that Ian Blakely would reassume the role of CFO at the company. He previously served as chief strategy officer. Paul Froutan, Enchanted Rock's former CTO, was also named COO last year.

6 major acquisitions that fueled the Houston energy sector in 2025

2025 In Review

Editor's note: As 2025 comes to a close, we're revisiting the biggest headlines and major milestones of the energy transition sector this year. Here are six major acquisitions that fueled the Houston energy industry in 2025:

Houston-based Calpine Corp. to be acquired in clean energy megadeal

Houston's Calpine Corp. will be acquired by Baltimore-based nuclear power company Constellation Energy Corp. Photo via DOE

In January 2025, Baltimore-based nuclear power company Constellation Energy Corp. and Houston-based Calpine Corp. entered into an agreement where Constellation would acquire Calpine in a cash and stock transaction with an overall net purchase price of $26.6 billion. The deal received final regulatory clearance this month.

Investment giant to acquire TXNM Energy for $11.5 billion

Blackstone Infrastructure, an affiliate of Blackstone Inc., will acquire a major Texas electricity provider. Photo via Shutterstock

In May 2025, Blackstone Infrastructure, an investment giant with $600 million in assets under management, agreed to buy publicly traded TXNM Energy in a debt-and-stock deal valued at $11.5 billion. The deal recently cleared a major regulatory hurdle, but still must be approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Houston's Rhythm Energy expands nationally with clean power acquisition

PJ Popovic, founder and CEO of Houston-based Rhythm Energy, which has acquired Inspire Clean Energy. Photo courtesy of Rhythm

Houston-based Rhythm Energy Inc. acquired Inspire Clean Energy in June 2025 for an undisclosed amount. The deal allowed Rhythm to immediately scale outside of Texas and into the Northeast, Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions.

Houston American Energy closes acquisition of New York low-carbon fuel co.

Houston American Energy Corp. has acquired Abundia Global Impact Group, which converts plastic and certified biomass waste into high-quality renewable fuels. Photo via Getty Images.

Renewable energy company Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE: HUSA) acquired Abundia Global Impact Group in July 2025. The acquisition created a combined company focused on converting waste plastics into high-value, drop-in, low-carbon fuels and chemical products.

Chevron gets green light on $53 billion Hess acquisition

With the deal, Chevron gets access to one of the biggest oil finds of the decade. Photo via Chevron

In July 2025, Houston-based Chevron scored a critical ruling in Paris that provided the go-ahead for a $53 billion acquisition of Hess and access to one of the biggest oil finds of the decade. Chevron completed its acquisition of Hess shortly after the ruling from the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris.

Investors close partial acquisition of Phillips 66 subsidiary with growing EV network

Two investment firms have scooped up the majority stake in JET, a subsidiary of Phillips 66 with a rapidly growing EV charging network. Photo via Jet.de Facebook.

In December 2025, Energy Equation Partners, a London-based investment firm focused on clean energy companies, and New York-based Stonepeak completed the acquisition of a 65 percent interest in JET Tankstellen Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of Houston oil and gas giant Phillips 66.

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