MANAGEMENT

US government launches refinery program

The government will provide US$140 million in support.

The U.S. government will invest in developing rare earths using unconventional resources.

The U.S. government will invest in developing rare earths using unconventional resources.

The U.S. Department of Energy launched an RFI for a new refinery facility for rare earth elements and critical minerals extraction using "unconventional resources".

The two classes of metals would be processed in separate facilities.

The program would be supported by a US$140 million investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed in November 2021 to improve and modernise American infrastructure.

The law also funds a federal study on mining abandoned mine lands and mine waste to extract critical minerals. The Biden administration has committed to significantly expand U.S. extraction and refinery of these minerals to reduce dependence on foreign states, notably China.

Currently, the U.S. has no capacity to refine rare earths or critical minerals.

"With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's investment in the build out of this first-of-its-kind critical minerals refinery, we are moving ideas from the lab to the commercial stage, and demonstrating how America can compete for the global supply chain to meet the growing demand for energy technology," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said.

The department is calling for information on the features of demonstration facilities, issues regarding supply chains, business models, the direction required for research and development, and the larger impacts and benefits of the refinery development program.

Several mining companies are working to jump-start REE production on American soil, among them Ucore Metals. Ucore has built a refinery in Alaska that sources rare earth feedstock from Vital Metals' Nechalacho rare earths project in Canada's Northwest Territories. The refinery is expected to be commissioned this quarter.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team.

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production