Dr. Pete Smith is the owner of and principal consultant for Critical Minerals Recovery Solutions, LLC. Pete has 28 years of experience in solvent extraction from the laboratory to pilot-plant scale. His primary expertise is in the separation and purification of the rare earth elements. However, he has worked on projects involving the recovery, separation, and purification of many metals (e.g. lithium, manganese, iron, cobalt, and copper.) Pete also has significant experience in chemical synthesis, including ligand design, ionic liquids, hydrothermal techniques, and solid-state materials.

Pete is currently Professor of Chemistry at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA. He earned his B.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.