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Tracking a Chemical Explosion in Iran 4/28/2025

Tracking a Chemical Explosion in Iran

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Mikhail Zhizhin, Christopher Elvidge, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how A massive explosion occurred on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Shahid Rajaee port, located near the southern city of Bandar Abbas, Iran. This port is Iran’s largest commercial harbor and a crucial trade hub on the Strait of Hormuz.  The Strait of Hormuz is well known as a key transit for global oil trade.  April 28, 2025.

Can China hold the world to ransom over rare earths? 4/26/2025

Can China hold the world to ransom over rare earths?

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributed to this article about how China reportedly instructed South Korean companies to stop exporting defence-related products to the United States if they contained rare earth products from China.  April 26, 2025.

Carbon capture technology is ready. Permitting needs to catch up. 4/24/2025

Carbon capture technology is ready. Permitting needs to catch up.

Payne Institute Low Carbon Energy Technologies Program Manager Anna Littlefield writes about how ending the carbon dioxide injection well permit application backlog would unleash investment in America, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and strengthening America’s global competitiveness.  April 24, 2025.

Satellite Data Shows Massive Fire Following Russian Arsenal Explosion 4/23/2025

Satellite Data Shows Massive Fire Following Russian Arsenal Explosion

Payne Institute Earth Observation Group Mikhail Zhizhin, Christopher Elvidge, and Director Morgan Bazilian write about how April 22, 2025, a significant explosion followed by a large fire appears to have occurred at the 51st Arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate near Kirzhach, in Russia’s Vladimir Oblast, northeast of Moscow.  April 23, 2025.  

Astronaut nuclear safety: A concept for managing crew risks when using space nuclear power systems 4/23/2025

Astronaut nuclear safety: A concept for managing crew risks when using space nuclear power systems

Payne Institute Fellow Alexander Q. Gilbert writes about how space nuclear power systems can provide transformational, enabling capabilities for human space exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.  However, widespread use of space nuclear power systems in direct support of astronaut operations calls for a concerted and holistic focus on the impacts on crew safety.   April 23, 2025.

Bad News for China: Rare Earth Elements Aren’t That Rare 4/23/2025

Bad News for China: Rare Earth Elements Aren’t That Rare

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributes to this article about how 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. April 23, 2025.

The Future of US Methane Emission Mitigation 4/22/2025

The Future of US Methane Emission Mitigation

Payne Institute Accelerated Methane Reduction Program Director Simon Lomax, Director Morgan Bazilian, and Deputy Director Greg Clough explore why major players in the U.S. energy sector are continuing their efforts to monitor, measure and reduce fugitive methane emissions, even as federal methane regulations are being rolled back.  April 22, 2025.  

The Smart Bet: Natural Gas for AI 4/16/2025

The Smart Bet: Natural Gas for AI

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian writes about how natural gas for AI is emerging as the most practical near-term solution to meet soaring energy demands from data centers.  There is no doubt that the AI revolution is a big part of that paradigm change and excitement, but not all energy sources are equally suited to the task and timelines.   April 16, 2025.

Jessica M. Smith named 2025 Andrew Carnegie Fellow 4/16/2025

Jessica M. Smith named 2025 Andrew Carnegie Fellow

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Jessica M. Smith, University Professor of Anthropology in the Engineering, Design & Society Department at Colorado School of Mines, has been named a 2025 Andrew Carnegie Fellow. Smith is one of 26 scholars across the United States – and the first Mines professor ever – selected for the prestigious honor. April 16, 2025. 

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.

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.