**Unrecovered Byproducts from US Mines: A New Horizon for Critical Mineral Supply**
A pioneering report from the Colorado School of Mines has revealed a promising approach to the United States’ reliance on imported critical minerals and rare earth elements. The study, spearheaded by mining engineer Elizabeth Holley, found that unrecovered byproducts from metal mines nationwide could fulfill the domestic need for 68 critical minerals, except for platinum and palladium.
Employing an advanced statistical resampling method, the research team matched yearly US metal mine production data with newly gathered geochemical concentrations of 70 critical minerals from geological surveys. This innovative strategy allowed them to estimate the amounts of these minerals that remain unrecovered during mining operations, which are often discarded as tailings during processes centered on metals such as gold and zinc.
Metals like cobalt, lithium, gallium, and rare earth elements including neodymium and yttrium, crucial for a range of high-tech and energy applications, are being neglected. Holley pointed out that while the potential is immense, obstacles exist in rendering the recovery of these critical minerals economically viable through further research, development, and policy changes. An example cited was cobalt, where recovering less than 10% of the thrown-away quantities could meet the entire US battery sector’s needs. Likewise, reclaiming less than 1% of discarded germanium could satisfy industry demands for electronics and infrared optics.
Nevertheless, incentives are vital for mine operators to invest in the necessary processing infrastructure. In spite of the demand for these elements, their present market value might not warrant such investments without favorable policies. Frances Wall, an applied mineralogist at the University of Exeter, commended the study’s mathematical framework in illustrating the potential of US metal mines against import reliance. Yet, she warned about the practical challenges, such as uneven mineral distribution and minimal quantities that could affect recovery practicality and economic feasibility.
Colin Church from the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining shared these views, acknowledging the considerable worth in US mining waste but also recognizing the commercial, environmental, and chemical hurdles in extracting these resources. The findings indicate a transformative chance to lessen import dependence through strategic recovery of critical minerals, potentially altering the US’s strategy towards mineral supply chains and sustainability in the mining industry.