Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026

Examiner: SMOOT, MORIAH SIMONE MCMIL

Tech Center 1700 • Art Units: 1733 1737

This examiner grants 64% of resolved cases

Performance Statistics

63.6%
Allow Rate
-1.4% vs TC avg
141
Total Applications
+2.5%
Interview Lift
1024
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 107 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

1.5%
§101 Eligibility
15.1%
§102 Novelty
48.1%
§103 Obviousness
28.9%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
19336322 SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACTIVATING DEEP RAFFINATE INJECTION BASED ON COLUMN TEST PREDICTIVE MODEL Final Rejection FREEPORT MINERALS CORPORATION
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
18021380 TREATMENT METHOD FOR POSITIVE ELECTRODE OF NON-AQUEOUS ELECTROLYTE SECONDARY BATTERY Final Rejection HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
18276112 Li RECOVERY METHOD AND RECOVERY APPARATUS Non-Final OA MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
17904909 SCRAP SUBMERGENCE DEVICE AND RELATED PROCESSES Final Rejection Novelis Inc.
18592084 REFLECTIVE MASK BLANK FOR EUV LITHOGRAPHY Non-Final OA AGC Inc.
18864429 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING DIRECT REDUCED METAL Non-Final OA GREENIRON H2 AB
18202395 FILTER HANDLING TOOL Non-Final OA PYROTEK, INC.
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.
18561091 METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR TREATMENT OF MOLTEN ALUMINIUM METAL Non-Final OA NORSK HYDRO ASA
16961010 Device for supporting and guiding a flow for metallic workpieces, and method for thermochemical treatment Final Rejection ALD VACUUM TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
18236460 GEOTHERMALLY POWERED HYDROMETALLURGICAL COPPER PRODUCTION Non-Final OA EnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC
18548538 DIRECTED LASER ENERGY TO REDUCE METAL OXIDES Non-Final OA Limelight Steel Inc.
18273359 BLEED-OFF GAS RECOVERY IN A DIRECT REDUCTION PROCESS Non-Final OA HYBRIT Development AB
17785705 GRAIN-ORIENTED ELECTRICAL STEEL SHEET AND MAGNETIC DOMAIN REFINEMENT METHOD THEREOF Final Rejection POSCO
18184580 RECOVERING RARE EARTH ELEMENTS AND OTHER TRACE METALS FROM CARBON-BASED ORES Non-Final OA Red Leaf Resources, Inc.
18115373 Hydrometallurgical Processes For Battery Recycling Non-Final OA The Doe Run Resources Corporation
17935845 IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STIRRING OF MOLTEN METALS Final Rejection ALTEK EUROPE LIMITED
17904879 DEVICE FOR MELTING METALS Final Rejection Thermal Processing Solution GmbH
17756558 THERMAL LAUNDER FOR THE TRANSFER OF WHITE METAL IN A SMELTING FURNACE Final Rejection CODELCOTEC SPA
17755115 GAS QUENCHING CELL Non-Final OA ECM TECHNOLOGIES

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