Addressing Knowledge Gaps on the Potential Effects of Critical Minerals on Aquatic Life
USGS Friday's Findings Webinar - August 21, 2026
Join this Friday's Findings to learn how USGS is investigating the potential effects of critical minerals on aquatic life and characterizing the bioavailability and toxicity of these elements in aquatic ecosystems.
Date
Friday, August 21, 2026, 2:00–2:30 pm ET / 11:00–11:30 am PT
Speaker
Christopher Kotalik, Research Ecologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center
Webinar Summary
Critical minerals are essential to economic growth and national security, yet their supply chains remain vulnerable to disruption. As demand rises, expanding domestic production and manufacturing activities may increase the release of critical mineral elements into aquatic environments. However, understanding of the environmental fate, bioavailability, and toxicity of many of these elements remains limited. These knowledge gaps complicate efforts to predict exposure and assess ecological risk. This presentation will provide an overview of key considerations for evaluating the potential effects of critical minerals on aquatic life and highlight research approaches we are using to characterize the bioavailability and toxicity of these elements in aquatic ecosystems.
Series Info
Friday’s Findings is a twice‑monthly public webinar series hosted by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area.