Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026

Examiner: SMOOT, MORIAH SIMONE MCMIL

Tech Center 1700 • Art Units: 1733 1737 1785

This examiner grants 63% of resolved cases

Performance Statistics

63.3%
Allow Rate
-1.7% vs TC avg
144
Total Applications
+4.7%
Interview Lift
1021
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 109 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

1.2%
§101 Eligibility
3.1%
§102 Novelty
78.7%
§103 Obviousness
8.2%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
18025973 Blast furnace for ironmaking production Non-Final OA ArcelorMittal
19273551 UTILIZATION OF BIO-OIL OR BIOCHAR IN A BLAST FURNACE Final Rejection Charm Industrial, Inc.
17779060 COOLING DEVICE AND COOLING METHOD Non-Final OA NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
19114595 METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING RECYCLED ALUMINUM METAL LUMP Non-Final OA K.K. SUN METALON
18276112 Li RECOVERY METHOD AND RECOVERY APPARATUS Non-Final OA MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
17904909 SCRAP SUBMERGENCE DEVICE AND RELATED PROCESSES Final Rejection Novelis Inc.
18864429 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING DIRECT REDUCED METAL Non-Final OA GREENIRON H2 AB
18549589 CONTINUOUS ANNEALING EQUIPMENT, CONTINUOUS ANNEALING METHOD, METHOD OF PRODUCING COLD-ROLLED STEEL SHEETS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING COATED OR PLATED STEEL SHEETS Non-Final OA JFE STEEL CORPORATION
18272833 METHOD FOR RECOVERING VALUABLE METAL Non-Final OA SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
17912998 ALLOY TREATMENT METHOD Non-Final OA SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
18701877 PROCESSES AND METHODS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF IRON AND STEEL Final Rejection CALIX LTD
18018351 METHOD FOR OPERATING A METALLURGIC PLANT FOR PRODUCING IRON PRODUCTS Non-Final OA PAUL WURTH S.A.
18548538 DIRECTED LASER ENERGY TO REDUCE METAL OXIDES Non-Final OA Limelight Steel Inc.
18236460 GEOTHERMALLY POWERED HYDROMETALLURGICAL COPPER PRODUCTION Non-Final OA EnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
18273359 BLEED-OFF GAS RECOVERY IN A DIRECT REDUCTION PROCESS Final Rejection HYBRIT Development AB
18211798 RECYCLING METHOD OF LITHIUM IRON PHOSPHATE BATTERY Non-Final OA UWin Resource Regeneration Inc.
18184580 RECOVERING RARE EARTH ELEMENTS AND OTHER TRACE METALS FROM CARBON-BASED ORES Non-Final OA Red Leaf Resources, Inc.
16961010 Device for supporting and guiding a flow for metallic workpieces, and method for thermochemical treatment Final Rejection ALD VACUUM TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
18115373 Hydrometallurgical Processes For Battery Recycling Non-Final OA The Doe Run Resources Corporation
17908740 METHOD FOR CONCENTRATING VALUABLE METAL CONTAINED IN LITHIUM ION SECONDARY BATTERY Final Rejection DOWA ECO-SYSTEM CO., LTD.
17756558 THERMAL LAUNDER FOR THE TRANSFER OF WHITE METAL IN A SMELTING FURNACE Final Rejection CODELCOTEC SPA

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