@cookpj.bsky.social
Climate and Energy Analyst at the Breakthrough Institute (he/him)
https://thebreakthrough.org/people/peter-cook
https://thebreakthrough.org/people/peter-cook
Reposted
If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity.
This new report explores the potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining.🧵
This new report explores the potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining.🧵
November 6, 2025 at 9:17 PM
If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity.
This new report explores the potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining.🧵
This new report explores the potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining.🧵
Reposted
Our new report explores potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining.
If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity.🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity.🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
Abundant Fuel for Abundant Reactors
thebreakthrough.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Our new report explores potential future US + global nuclear fuel supply chain needs, from uranium enrichment to mining.
If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity.🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
If the US really wants to expand nuclear to 400GW nationwide by 2050, the US must secure enrichment ~5x-10x of current domestic capacity.🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
As the US debates how to secure critical minerals, some insist that we first must wholly reform mining before we embrace its role in decarbonization
The latest @thebti.bsky.social article argues how the stringent standards miners already follow make that attitude counterproductive 🧵
The latest @thebti.bsky.social article argues how the stringent standards miners already follow make that attitude counterproductive 🧵
October 21, 2025 at 6:05 PM
As the US debates how to secure critical minerals, some insist that we first must wholly reform mining before we embrace its role in decarbonization
The latest @thebti.bsky.social article argues how the stringent standards miners already follow make that attitude counterproductive 🧵
The latest @thebti.bsky.social article argues how the stringent standards miners already follow make that attitude counterproductive 🧵
I went hiking in the Mendocino National Forest and think I spotted some volcanics.
It's a little hard to see, but the two dark outcrops look like the nubs of a sill that I imagine eroded as the valley formed and cut through it.....🧵
It's a little hard to see, but the two dark outcrops look like the nubs of a sill that I imagine eroded as the valley formed and cut through it.....🧵
October 10, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I went hiking in the Mendocino National Forest and think I spotted some volcanics.
It's a little hard to see, but the two dark outcrops look like the nubs of a sill that I imagine eroded as the valley formed and cut through it.....🧵
It's a little hard to see, but the two dark outcrops look like the nubs of a sill that I imagine eroded as the valley formed and cut through it.....🧵
The NRC announced some exciting news for the U.S. nuclear sector on Tuesday
DISA received an approval for their license application to collect uranium ore from abandoned uranium mine waste using a method called High-Pressure Slurry Ablation 🧵
DISA received an approval for their license application to collect uranium ore from abandoned uranium mine waste using a method called High-Pressure Slurry Ablation 🧵
October 2, 2025 at 9:56 PM
The NRC announced some exciting news for the U.S. nuclear sector on Tuesday
DISA received an approval for their license application to collect uranium ore from abandoned uranium mine waste using a method called High-Pressure Slurry Ablation 🧵
DISA received an approval for their license application to collect uranium ore from abandoned uranium mine waste using a method called High-Pressure Slurry Ablation 🧵
Reposted
The NRC issued a license today to DISA Technologies to use its system to remediate abandoned uranium mines. This is a very positive step toward addressing mines that were improperly handled decades ago, mostly for weapons production.
September 30, 2025 at 9:03 PM
The NRC issued a license today to DISA Technologies to use its system to remediate abandoned uranium mines. This is a very positive step toward addressing mines that were improperly handled decades ago, mostly for weapons production.
Geologists typically prefer puns, but today I thought I'd try a limerick:
The famous geologist, Bryce
just wanted a sample of gneiss.
So he picked up a piece
from the beaches of Nice
and thought it incredibly nice.
*not intended to necessarily be geologically accurate
The famous geologist, Bryce
just wanted a sample of gneiss.
So he picked up a piece
from the beaches of Nice
and thought it incredibly nice.
*not intended to necessarily be geologically accurate
September 27, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Geologists typically prefer puns, but today I thought I'd try a limerick:
The famous geologist, Bryce
just wanted a sample of gneiss.
So he picked up a piece
from the beaches of Nice
and thought it incredibly nice.
*not intended to necessarily be geologically accurate
The famous geologist, Bryce
just wanted a sample of gneiss.
So he picked up a piece
from the beaches of Nice
and thought it incredibly nice.
*not intended to necessarily be geologically accurate
I am very pleased to see @thebti.bsky.social cited and described as the optimistic perspective when it comes to critical minerals thought leadership in a new book by Thea Riofrancos called "Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism."
September 23, 2025 at 9:26 PM
I am very pleased to see @thebti.bsky.social cited and described as the optimistic perspective when it comes to critical minerals thought leadership in a new book by Thea Riofrancos called "Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism."
The U.S. got some great news today and will soon close an essential gap in critical mineral supply chains: antimony mining.🧵
www.investors.perpetuaresources.com/investors/ne...
www.investors.perpetuaresources.com/investors/ne...
Perpetua Resources Receives Notice to Proceed from U.S. Forest Service Authorizing Project Development — Perpetua Resources | Corporate
View PDF
www.investors.perpetuaresources.com
September 19, 2025 at 9:03 PM
The U.S. got some great news today and will soon close an essential gap in critical mineral supply chains: antimony mining.🧵
www.investors.perpetuaresources.com/investors/ne...
www.investors.perpetuaresources.com/investors/ne...
Traveling to Seattle last week, my flight from San Francisco flew north along the Cascade Range and treated me to a great view of Mount Shasta - a 14,163 foot high stratovolcano. 🧵
September 12, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Traveling to Seattle last week, my flight from San Francisco flew north along the Cascade Range and treated me to a great view of Mount Shasta - a 14,163 foot high stratovolcano. 🧵
I am seeing announcements of a Strategic Mineral Reserve for critical minerals that the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada will host as a public-private partnership with M2i Global and Volato Group 🧵
www.mining.com/nevada-army-...
www.mining.com/nevada-army-...
Nevada army depot to serve as base for first US strategic minerals stockpile
The initiative will be spearheaded by critical minerals pioneer M2i Global and aviation solutions provider Volato Group.
www.mining.com
September 11, 2025 at 11:15 PM
I am seeing announcements of a Strategic Mineral Reserve for critical minerals that the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada will host as a public-private partnership with M2i Global and Volato Group 🧵
www.mining.com/nevada-army-...
www.mining.com/nevada-army-...
Digging through some photos from my time at Nyrstar and found this one of the barite brain
Nyrstar had so many great samples in their collection from years of mining. Gem hunters know it as the Elmwood Mine, famous for its fluorite with irregular etching called Carthage Corners
Nyrstar had so many great samples in their collection from years of mining. Gem hunters know it as the Elmwood Mine, famous for its fluorite with irregular etching called Carthage Corners
September 5, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Digging through some photos from my time at Nyrstar and found this one of the barite brain
Nyrstar had so many great samples in their collection from years of mining. Gem hunters know it as the Elmwood Mine, famous for its fluorite with irregular etching called Carthage Corners
Nyrstar had so many great samples in their collection from years of mining. Gem hunters know it as the Elmwood Mine, famous for its fluorite with irregular etching called Carthage Corners
Congress is back from recess and it looks like the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is wasting no time discussing proposals related to mining.
Here's what was on the docket for the legislative hearing yesterday (9/3) 🧵
naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eve...
Here's what was on the docket for the legislative hearing yesterday (9/3) 🧵
naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eve...
Hearings | House Committee on Natural Resources
naturalresources.house.gov
September 4, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Congress is back from recess and it looks like the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources is wasting no time discussing proposals related to mining.
Here's what was on the docket for the legislative hearing yesterday (9/3) 🧵
naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eve...
Here's what was on the docket for the legislative hearing yesterday (9/3) 🧵
naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eve...
Heading to DC for the Abundance event to join my @thebti.bsky.social colleagues and Im already excited to hear what more the Anthropocene has in store
But if you are ever pessimistic, a dose of the New York City skyline is always a great reminder of what the human-built world can be like
But if you are ever pessimistic, a dose of the New York City skyline is always a great reminder of what the human-built world can be like
September 3, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Heading to DC for the Abundance event to join my @thebti.bsky.social colleagues and Im already excited to hear what more the Anthropocene has in store
But if you are ever pessimistic, a dose of the New York City skyline is always a great reminder of what the human-built world can be like
But if you are ever pessimistic, a dose of the New York City skyline is always a great reminder of what the human-built world can be like
Kazakhstan has issued some unfortunate news with some concerning implications for nuclear energy.
Apparently, Kazatomprom (Kazakhstan’s national company) will lower uranium mine production by 10% in 2026 due to insufficient returns, as they say🧵
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/kaz...
Apparently, Kazatomprom (Kazakhstan’s national company) will lower uranium mine production by 10% in 2026 due to insufficient returns, as they say🧵
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/kaz...
Kazatomprom to lower uranium production in 2026
The national atomic company of Kazakhstan has announced plans for a roughly 10% cut in its uranium production in 2026, saying it does not view the current supply-demand balance and existing uncovered ...
www.world-nuclear-news.org
September 2, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Kazakhstan has issued some unfortunate news with some concerning implications for nuclear energy.
Apparently, Kazatomprom (Kazakhstan’s national company) will lower uranium mine production by 10% in 2026 due to insufficient returns, as they say🧵
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/kaz...
Apparently, Kazatomprom (Kazakhstan’s national company) will lower uranium mine production by 10% in 2026 due to insufficient returns, as they say🧵
www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/kaz...
Reposted
New from me: political thinkers debating America’s future should avoid too narrowly conflating solar success with good energy policy.
The political and technical messiness of the grid will pose complex challenges to both the abundance camp and its critics. 🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
The political and technical messiness of the grid will pose complex challenges to both the abundance camp and its critics. 🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
The Solarmaxxing of Abundance and Its Critics
thebreakthrough.org
August 28, 2025 at 3:57 PM
New from me: political thinkers debating America’s future should avoid too narrowly conflating solar success with good energy policy.
The political and technical messiness of the grid will pose complex challenges to both the abundance camp and its critics. 🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
The political and technical messiness of the grid will pose complex challenges to both the abundance camp and its critics. 🧵
thebreakthrough.org/issues/energ...
Some may not realize that rare earths are mined together as a combination of elements.
The USGS reports the distribution for some prominent mines. I thought it was more striking as a bar chart with some color so I adapted it into the chart shown below 🧵
The USGS reports the distribution for some prominent mines. I thought it was more striking as a bar chart with some color so I adapted it into the chart shown below 🧵
August 27, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Some may not realize that rare earths are mined together as a combination of elements.
The USGS reports the distribution for some prominent mines. I thought it was more striking as a bar chart with some color so I adapted it into the chart shown below 🧵
The USGS reports the distribution for some prominent mines. I thought it was more striking as a bar chart with some color so I adapted it into the chart shown below 🧵
I’m looking forward to the Abundance event next week in D.C., but will still miss the @thebti.bsky.social's Dialogue.
What other conference could you argue about critical minerals then slip out to the Marin Headlands during the lunch break for a roadside outcrop field trip?
What other conference could you argue about critical minerals then slip out to the Marin Headlands during the lunch break for a roadside outcrop field trip?
August 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
I’m looking forward to the Abundance event next week in D.C., but will still miss the @thebti.bsky.social's Dialogue.
What other conference could you argue about critical minerals then slip out to the Marin Headlands during the lunch break for a roadside outcrop field trip?
What other conference could you argue about critical minerals then slip out to the Marin Headlands during the lunch break for a roadside outcrop field trip?
Reposted
I was honored to be part of the planning committee for the recent @nationalacademies.org workshop Pathways for New Nuclear Deployment. There are new opportunities for building next-generation reactors to produce reliable, clean energy. However, significant, but solvable, barriers remain.
August 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I was honored to be part of the planning committee for the recent @nationalacademies.org workshop Pathways for New Nuclear Deployment. There are new opportunities for building next-generation reactors to produce reliable, clean energy. However, significant, but solvable, barriers remain.
For anyone interested in seafloor minerals, the
USGS has a great web viewer of different ocean regions based on nodule vs crustal occurrences:
geonarrative.usgs.gov/globalmarine...
USGS has a great web viewer of different ocean regions based on nodule vs crustal occurrences:
geonarrative.usgs.gov/globalmarine...
August 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
For anyone interested in seafloor minerals, the
USGS has a great web viewer of different ocean regions based on nodule vs crustal occurrences:
geonarrative.usgs.gov/globalmarine...
USGS has a great web viewer of different ocean regions based on nodule vs crustal occurrences:
geonarrative.usgs.gov/globalmarine...
The value that society places on gold compared to other metals fascinates me given that less than 10% of it sees any type of practical application!
But society still benefits even if you dont wear a Rolex because all that money invested into gold subsidizes other metals🧵
But society still benefits even if you dont wear a Rolex because all that money invested into gold subsidizes other metals🧵
August 22, 2025 at 6:26 PM
The value that society places on gold compared to other metals fascinates me given that less than 10% of it sees any type of practical application!
But society still benefits even if you dont wear a Rolex because all that money invested into gold subsidizes other metals🧵
But society still benefits even if you dont wear a Rolex because all that money invested into gold subsidizes other metals🧵
Back in May, the Trump administration announced it would phase out production of the penny, citing the curious reality that it takes more to make it than it’s worth (3.69 cents)
But I'm more curious about how much metal we'll save🧵
But I'm more curious about how much metal we'll save🧵
August 21, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Back in May, the Trump administration announced it would phase out production of the penny, citing the curious reality that it takes more to make it than it’s worth (3.69 cents)
But I'm more curious about how much metal we'll save🧵
But I'm more curious about how much metal we'll save🧵
The USGS has a great timeline showing when mines and quarries developed across the U.S. since the late 19th century:
mrdata.usgs.gov/usmin/
The quarries and pits for industrial minerals are particularly striking to me...🧵
mrdata.usgs.gov/usmin/
The quarries and pits for industrial minerals are particularly striking to me...🧵
Prospect- and mine-related features on USGS topographic maps
Symbols indicating mining-related features digitized from historical USGS topographic maps in the western part of the conterminous US. Includes prospect pits, mine shafts and adits, quarries, open-pit...
mrdata.usgs.gov
August 19, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The USGS has a great timeline showing when mines and quarries developed across the U.S. since the late 19th century:
mrdata.usgs.gov/usmin/
The quarries and pits for industrial minerals are particularly striking to me...🧵
mrdata.usgs.gov/usmin/
The quarries and pits for industrial minerals are particularly striking to me...🧵
The U.S.G.S. launched a new web viewer for anyone interested in critical minerals
www.usgs.gov/tools/critic...
The Critical Mineral Atlas displays some data from their Mineral Commodity Summaries and other reports
Pretty useful for a quick fact and the visualization is great
www.usgs.gov/tools/critic...
The Critical Mineral Atlas displays some data from their Mineral Commodity Summaries and other reports
Pretty useful for a quick fact and the visualization is great
Critical Minerals Atlas
This Interactive Atlas of Critical Minerals shows you where critical minerals are produced. Discover which countries produce critical minerals, what percent of the world production they are responsibl...
www.usgs.gov
August 15, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The U.S.G.S. launched a new web viewer for anyone interested in critical minerals
www.usgs.gov/tools/critic...
The Critical Mineral Atlas displays some data from their Mineral Commodity Summaries and other reports
Pretty useful for a quick fact and the visualization is great
www.usgs.gov/tools/critic...
The Critical Mineral Atlas displays some data from their Mineral Commodity Summaries and other reports
Pretty useful for a quick fact and the visualization is great
Looks like the Twin Metals Minnesota mine that the Biden admin canceled in 2022 will be getting another chance
The Trump admin made moves that signal it will offer the project new leases
I think this is the right move 🧵
www.doi.gov/sites/defaul...
The Trump admin made moves that signal it will offer the project new leases
I think this is the right move 🧵
www.doi.gov/sites/defaul...
www.doi.gov
August 14, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Looks like the Twin Metals Minnesota mine that the Biden admin canceled in 2022 will be getting another chance
The Trump admin made moves that signal it will offer the project new leases
I think this is the right move 🧵
www.doi.gov/sites/defaul...
The Trump admin made moves that signal it will offer the project new leases
I think this is the right move 🧵
www.doi.gov/sites/defaul...