US Could Meet Critical Mineral Demand From Tailings and Byproducts

The United States could largely meet its rising demand for critical minerals by recovering valuable materials from mining byproducts and tailings already produced, according to new research and a broad set of federal funding initiatives nearing $1 billion. A comprehensive analysis of active hard-rock mines across the country found that, for 70 elements within 54 mines, even modest recovery rates could dramatically reduce dependence on imports, with some minerals potentially offsetting nearly all current demand.

The research shows that in many cases the most economical or readily available route to domestic supply lies not in opening new mines, but in extracting additional minerals from the waste streams generated by existing operations. For example, recoveries as small as 1 percent of certain byproducts could substitute for substantial portions of imports for many critical metals, while higher targeted rates could cover broader needs such as lithium, manganese, and rare earths. The studies emphasize that several metals are still difficult to recover profitably from tailings and require advances in refining technology, processing, and logistics. The overarching message is that...