A Treasure Trove of Key Minerals Is Being Wasted in the U.S., Study Claims

There are dozens of active mines in the United States. Some copper drains, while others dig for iron. Whatever the resource, it usually produces a small fraction of the rock drawn from the soil. The rest are usually ignored. Ruined

“We’re simply producing a few products,” said Elizabeth HoliProfessor of Mining Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. “The question is: what else is there in these rocks?”

Answer: Many.

In a study Published by the Journal of Science todayHoli and his colleagues aim to determine what else is in those rocks. They found that in 54 active mines covers 70 critical elements, the chances of recovery are immense. Have enough Lithium Our waste in our one year, for example, 10 million electric vehicles for electricity. For manganese, this is enough for 99 million. These statistics are the import level of both the elements in the United States and the current demand for them.

Necessary for the production of critical minerals Lithium-ion batterySolar panels and other lower-or zero-carbon technologies strengthen clean energy transfer. Where the United States gets those minerals, it is a matter of politically filled for a long time.

Most parts of the lithium come from Australia, Chile and China for example, when Cobalt Mainly comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The US policy has become a target for decades that have protected a domestic supply of rare or critical materials, and in recent years this push has intensified. Former President Joe Biden’s Landmark Climate Act, 2022 Inflation Laws, Domestic Critical Mineral Production included incentive and this year President Donald Trump signed a Executive order War It will allow further lease and lifting on federal land.

The order states, “Our national and economic protection has now been severely threatened by our dependence on the mineral production of hostile foreign forces.” “It is essential for our national protection that the United States of America takes instant measures to facilitate the production of the maximum amount of domestic mineral.”

Trump also made critical minerals A Ukraine’s continued assistanceThe Meanwhile, recently China Exporting exports to the metal of the rare earthTo monitor the uncertain nature of the global market.

Holi’s research indicates that the recovery of the extended domestic sub -propaganda can solve this unrest. Even 1 percent recovery rate has been found, it will “reduce considerable amounts” for most components. The current import of 4 percent of the lithium will completely offset the current import.

“We can concentrate already on corporate mines and simply add additional circuits to their process,” said Holi. “It would be a really quick way to bring the necessary minerals to produce.”

This latest research is “extremely valuable”, Professor Hamidja Samoi, a professor of petroleum engineering at the University of Texas, who was not involved in the study. He sees it as a great starting point for a multiply approach to dealing with the by-the-zero-waste system. He said that other fields would need attention, it would include viewing the “huge” quantity of water that used a mine. He also believes that the government should play a more aggressive policy and regulatory role in pushing for critical mineral recovery.

“A very old style of mining,” said Samoi. “Who’s going to take risk?”

The Department of Energy has recently announced Sub -Outdrawn Pilot ProgramAnd the Pentagon has taken a Shares of $ 400 million in operators The only rare-earth metal mine in the country. At the same time, the Congress recently canceled the large parts of the inflation decrease the law, which drives critical minerals and reduced the Federal funds US Geological Survey And Department of Energy DepartmentInto other research weapons.

Isabel Burton, a professor of geological engineering at the University of Arizona, says the general emphasis of science study is “not new”. “Nowadays it’s a very heated thing in the case of mining” “

The attention is contributing to an growing change in thought, to consider what can be produced, including critical minerals from intense focus on the target minerals. “There is something that is relatively easy there, many others who are negligently difficult to get,” said Barton, “mining companies are for a profit.”

Holi is hoping to find out the most economically effective way to move forward is that this study will notify. The possibility of sub -outposts changes considerable quantities by me and he said, the analysis can help determine how minerals can find possible. For example, the Red Doug Mine of Alaska seems to have the country’s largest Germany potential Nickel Montana’s steelwater and eastern boulder can be found in mines.

“The [research and development] Financing in critical minerals has become somewhat scattered, “he said.” Our paper allows to develop a technique. “

This article was originally attended Greek This https://grist.org/ssInce/us-meines-ere-lerally-trowing-w-ve-wth-writical-minrals/The Grrist is a non -profit, independent media company that is dedicated to climate solutions and equitable future stories. Learn more Grist.orgThe