Stardust Power Inc. (NASDAQ: SDST) has been selected as an industrial partner in a U.S. Department of Energy-funded research program focused on extracting lithium from domestic waste streams, according to a company statement.

The program, led by Dr. John Staser at Ohio University's Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment in partnership with CONSOL Innovations, aims to develop electrochemical technology for lithium extraction from wastewater from oil and gas operations and drainage from legacy coal mines.

The project, titled "Coal- and Waste Coal-based Electrodes for Direct Lithium Extraction from Domestic Waste Streams," was selected under DOE Announcement DE-FOA-0003105 Critical Material Innovation, Efficiency and Alternatives.

As the end-use industrial partner, Stardust Power will evaluate lithium samples produced by the research team against battery-grade specifications and support downstream commercialization pathways for potential refining applications.

"This initiative aligns closely with our long-term strategy of supporting the development of a resilient domestic lithium supply chain," said Roshan Pujari, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Stardust Power. "As the United States works to strengthen critical mineral independence and reduce reliance on foreign processing, alternative domestic lithium sources are becoming increasingly important."

Stardust Power is constructing a lithium carbonate refinery in Muskogee, Oklahoma, with an expected production capacity of up to 50,000 metric tons per annum. The company develops battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Dr. John Staser noted that developing technologies to recover lithium from domestic waste streams could create additional supply pathways for critical minerals in the United States.