Newswise — One of the United States’ most urgent challenges is securing a reliable domestic supply of critical materials and minerals essential for technologies like smartphones, satellites, computer chips, rechargeable batteries and advanced weapons systems.

Although the U.S. has deposits of nearly all critical materials, domestic mining is unable to meet demand, which is expected to grow over the next decade. Most extraction and processing occurs outside the country, particularly in China. This reliance on foreign processing can lead to disruptions that affect national security, economic growth and technological advancement.

“Critical materials and metals are crucial to our daily lives,” said Travis McLing, a subsurface research scientist at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). “However, we depend heavily on foreign entities, jeopardizing our technological leadership and national security. The supply chain needs to be connected and sourced in the U.S. It isn’t enough to mine materials here. We must also produce and refine them domestically. Our goal is to create a resilient supply chain from rock to final product.”

INL is collaborating with eight national labs and nearly 30 companies to develop technologies and processes that enhance domestic critical material mining and production. The short-term goal is to advance cost-effective, low-waste processing technologies that can be rapidly deployed. The long-term goal is to better understand critical material sources, intermediate states, separation processes and final products to reduce reliance on foreign mining.

“Our aim is to increase the recovery of minerals from both conventional and unconventional sources,” said Aaron Wilson, a chemical scientist at INL. “We want to help industry maximize recovery while minimizing waste and protect American workers and the environment.”

Mining and ore processing

After extraction, rocks undergo beneficiation, a process of crushing and grinding to separate desired materials from waste. These materials are then concentrated for easier transport and treated with heat or chemicals to fully extract and purify them. However, modern processing isn’t always sufficient and often produces significant waste.

“If you look at a copper mine, for example, mine ore only contains about 0.2% copper on the high end,” said McLing. “That means they have to process and throw away 99.8% of the rock to get the 0.2% they want.”

That waste may not be worthless. According to McLing, most processing facilities are designed to extract only one or two materials. Anything of value that requires a different extraction process is often lost or discarded. Building additional processing facilities at mines or sending the materials to other processing facilities might reduce waste and bolster domestic supplies of critical materials.

Compounding the challenge is the diversity of rock types that host critical minerals. Alkaline intrusive rocks, pegmatites and hydrothermally altered rocks are known for containing significant concentrations of critical materials. Each must be processed differently based on its characteristics.

Alkaline-intrusive rocks form when magma cools slowly underground and are rich in alkali metals like sodium and potassium. Pegmatites are igneous rocks with large crystals that often contain lithium and beryllium. Hydrothermally altered rocks have been changed by hot, mineral-rich fluids under high pressure, concentrating metals and minerals that are otherwise difficult to access.

Getting industry to invest in new technologies and processes can be difficult, especially since mining lacks the research capabilities of other resource sectors like oil and gas.

“There are challenges in engaging industry effectively,” said McLing. “But INL is well suited to work with mining companies to make the entire process, from mining to production, more economical and efficient.”

To improve efficiency and safety, INL is pioneering innovative technologies and processes that optimize mining, from extraction to final processing.

Innovations in mining and processing

INL is developing digital tools and robots to characterize ores, manage mining resources and process critical materials. Digital tools use remote sensing, autonomous mining equipment, digital twins and other computational technologies to improve efficiency. INL’s robotics research is advancing systems and sensors that can more effectively separate, process and recover materials.

Another area of focus is critical material extraction. INL is developing advanced analytical instruments capable of detecting and quantifying trace amounts of critical materials in natural water, mine tailings, recycled materials and other sources.

Mineral processing separates valuable materials from waste. Advanced separation techniques further isolate and purify critical materials, ensuring the high purity required for use in consumer electronics, competitive energy systems and national defense.

INL is also advancing a method called leaching, which uses a liquid, usually an acid or base, to separate critical materials from ores, batteries or electronic waste.

Impacts

“INL researchers are inventing the next generation of mining technology,” Wilson said. “Our work will minimize waste, enhance safety and increase recovery rates. We are experienced thought leaders creating the technologies the industry needs.”

INL’s innovative technologies are crucial for securing a reliable domestic supply of critical materials. By tackling mining and ore processing challenges, INL is enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of operations and supporting U.S. economic growth and national security. As these technologies evolve, they will help build a resilient supply chain that underpins America’s technological leadership.

“Critical material extraction is this generation’s moonshot,” said McLing. “We need to solve our supply chain in the next five to seven years. That’s a policy and technical solution to create a friendly supply chain that works for everyone.”