Western Digital and Microsoft are testing new ways to recover precious materials from old hardware as trade tariffs and other geopolitical issues change the economics of recycling.

China is limiting US access to critical minerals in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but the move isn’t as devastating as Beijing wants it to be.

A research team involving University of Iowa chemists reports a new oxidation state for a rare earth chemical element, a discovery that could broaden its use and potential applications for society. Bess Vlaisavljevich The chemical element is praseodymium.