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Eyes on the Arctic: Satellite Monitoring of the Arctic LNG 2 Terminal 4/10/2025

Eyes on the Arctic: Satellite Monitoring of the Arctic LNG 2 Terminal

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Mikhail Zhizhin, Christopher Elvidge, and Morgan Bazilian write about how the Arctic LNG 2 project operated by Novatek, Russia’s largest independent natural gas producer, represents a significant undertaking in the global energy sector.  The terminal’s capacity is crucial for Russia’s strategic goal of significantly increasing its share in the global LNG market, targeting a substantial portion of the expanding demand, particularly in Asia.  April 10, 2025.  

Why are oil prices plummeting? Hint: it’s not just tariffs. 4/8/2025

Why are oil prices plummeting? Hint: it’s not just tariffs.

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian was featured on this podcast discussing how concerns mount over how exactly President Donald Trump’s tariffs will impact the cost of coffee, cell phones and cars, there’s one price that’s tanking – oil prices have just fallen to $60/barrel.  April 8, 2025.

Future-Proofing U.S. Technology: Strategic Priorities Amid Chinese Tech Advancement 4/6/2025

Future-Proofing U.S. Technology: Strategic Priorities Amid Chinese Tech Advancement

Payne Institute Fellow Jahara “Franky” Matisek, Director Morgan Bazilian, and others write about how the technological rivalry between the United States and China transcends traditional geopolitical competition. It represents a systemic challenge that cuts across economic, security, and diplomacy domains.  The reports presented here examine critical technological domains where targeted policy action is needed to maintain U.S. strategic advantage.  April 6, 2025.

Ukrainians face fears during the country’s darkest nights 4/5/2025

Ukrainians face fears during the country’s darkest nights

The Payne Institute Earth Observation Group contributed satellite images to this article about nighttime in war torn Ukraine.  Satellite images show a significant dimming of the lights at night, as the cities turn off streetlights to make Russia’s job harder, as Ukraine’s power plants are destroyed in Russian attacks and as people simply leave for other parts of Ukraine, Europe — or anywhere else that’s safer.  April 5, 2025. 

Commodity prices drop in response to tariffs 4/4/2025

Commodity prices drop in response to tariffs

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange is featured on this podcast discussing the prices of commodities like crude oil, copper and soybeans have dropped in response to President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements, indicating pessimism about where the global economy may be headed. Even though many commodities, like oil, were exempt from tariffs, the broader economic effects of tariffs are likely to take a toll if they continue.  April 4, 2025.

Better Together: The Case for Cooperative Regionalism in U.S. Energy Policy 4/3/2025

Better Together: The Case for Cooperative Regionalism in U.S. Energy Policy

Payne Institute Low Carbon Energy Technologies Program Manager Anna Littlefield, Student Researcher Siddhant Kulkarni, and Accelerated Methane Reduction Initiative Director Simon Lomax write about how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced plans for the most significant rollback of federal regulations in U.S. history, a critical question emerges: Will delegating power to states foster innovation and economic growth or could it jeopardize essential protections for public health, safety, and the environment? April 3, 2025.

The Functioning and Trade of Minerals and Metals on Exchanges vs. Chemical Markets 4/2/2025

The Functioning and Trade of Minerals and Metals on Exchanges vs. Chemical Markets

Payne Institute student researcher Sravan Lavudya, Grad Student, Mineral and Energy Economics, writes about how the future outlook for the metal and mineral market is positive, with continued growth expected, though challenges such as geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions remain.  April 2, 2025.

Three Satellites Confirm Malaysia Pipeline Explosion: VNF Thermal Detections Corroborate Major Industrial Fire Near Kuala Lumpur 4/2/2025

Three Satellites Confirm Malaysia Pipeline Explosion: VNF Thermal Detections Corroborate Major Industrial Fire Near Kuala Lumpur

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Research Associate Mikhail Zhizhin writes about how on April 1, 2025, a significant gas pipeline explosion occurred in Putra Heights, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, resulting in a massive fireball that injured at least 145 individuals, including three children.  Satellite-based thermal anomaly detection systems, such as the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Nightfire (VNF), are instrumental in identifying and monitoring such incidents.  April 2, 2025.

Carolyn Ann Koh named AAAS Fellow 4/1/2025

Carolyn Ann Koh named AAAS Fellow

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Carolyn Ann Koh, University Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Colorado School of Mines, has been recognized as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the worlds’ largest general scientific societies and publisher of the Science family of journals.  April 1, 2025.

The mining executive order needs creative financial support to achieve its goals 3/31/2025

The mining executive order needs creative financial support to achieve its goals

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian and Payne Institute Energy Finance Lab Program Director Brad Handler write about how the Trump Administration’s recently released executive order to speed up and support new mining and processing development projects would benefit from sourcing funds from private lenders and investors instead of public funding alone. March 31, 2025.

U.S. Delegation Visits Greenland Amid Trump Pressure Campaign 3/28/2025

U.S. Delegation Visits Greenland Amid Trump Pressure Campaign

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributed to this article about how U.S. President Donald Trump’s yearslong obsession with acquiring Greenland sparked fresh and intense backlash this week as he sent a high-profile delegation of top U.S. officials to the island—even as Greenland made clear they weren’t welcome.  Vice President J.D. Vance is the highest-ranking U.S. official to ever travel to the island.  March 28, 2025.

Trade-offs of the green transition: Is mining critical minerals better than extracting fossil fuels? 3/26/2025

Trade-offs of the green transition: Is mining critical minerals better than extracting fossil fuels? 

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Raphael Deberdt contributed to this article about how extracting resources from the Earth always comes with costs. As we race toward a cleaner, greener future, there is a risk of repeating the abuses of mining for coal and other fossil fuels. March 26, 2025.

Greenland’s Minerals Won’t Secure the U.S. Supply Chain 3/26/2025

Greenland’s Minerals Won’t Secure the U.S. Supply Chain

Emily J. Holland, Payne Institute Fellow Joshua Busby, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how Greenland’s minerals are drawing renewed U.S. interest, but Arctic conditions, local opposition, and processing and refining challenges make near-term gains unlikely. March 26, 2025.

Fossil fuel subsidy reforms have become more fragile 3/26/2025

Fossil fuel subsidy reforms have become more fragile

Payne Institute Fellow Paasha Mahdavi, Michael L. Ross, and Evelyn Simoni write about how since the mid-2010s, many governments have pledged to reduce their subsidies for fossil fuels. Yet, it is unclear whether these reforms have been implemented, with prior studies showing conflicting results. March 26, 2025.

Hill looks to bolster Trump on minerals executive order 3/26/2025

Hill looks to bolster Trump on minerals executive order

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this article about how President Trump’s executive order last week – citing the national energy emergency – directs agencies to submit mineral projects that could get priority for accelerated permitting. It authorizes the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. – created to fund projects abroad – and other agencies to finance mineral developments using the Defense Production Act. March 26, 2025.

How China Beat Out the U.S. to Become the Top Player in Rare-Earths Refining 3/24/2025

How China Beat Out the U.S. to Become the Top Player in Rare-Earths Refining

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this article about how President Trump wants to secure the minerals the U.S. needs for everything from smartphones to jet fighters by striking deals in Ukraine, Greenland and even Russia.  But even if the Trump administration secures more mines for American companies through agreements like the mineral-rights deal being discussed with Ukraine, it may have to send much of the minerals to China—its main geopolitical rival—to be processed.  March 24, 2025.

Are we on the verge of mining metals from the asteroids above Earth? 3/23/2025

Are we on the verge of mining metals from the asteroids above Earth?

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributes to this article about how close we really are to extracting rare minerals from the many celestial bodies floating above us.  But others question whether mining these metals in space and bringing them back to Earth is really feasible, especially in the near term – and whether it could have its own unique, but just as impactful, environmental costs.  March 23, 2025.

Will I-80 ever be fixed? What we know after collapsed mines cause 3 sinkholes. 3/22/2025

Will I-80 ever be fixed? What we know after collapsed mines cause 3 sinkholes.

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Paul Santi contributes to this article about authorities within New Jersey have attributed all three sinkholes to collapsing mineshafts underneath the roadway. As the mines have started affecting the structural integrity of the highway, locals want to know if it’s safe, and how this might ever be fixed. March 22, 2025.

The Payne Institute experts are regional, national, and international leaders in applied research in natural resources, energy, and the environment. Our team is involved in a wide variety of research projects in these fields, and are committed to sharing these results with academic and professional audiences.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed are those of the author alone and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, viewpoints, or official policies of the Payne Institute or Colorado School of Mines.