Critical Minerals in Mine Waste
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Introduction
Critical minerals are commodities with vulnerable supply chains that play a vital role in supporting the United States’ economy, national defense and security, emerging technologies, and energy independence. The prosperity of our Nation depends on generating a resilient supply of domestic critical minerals; mine waste may be an untapped source of these commodities. Mine waste from centuries of legacy mining persist on the landscape and may contain critical minerals and other valuable commodities previously deemed uneconomic to recover. At modern mines, the financial viability of recovering byproduct critical minerals, which are not the primary target, may be marginal and can ultimately destine them to mine waste. Further, mine waste can be a liability for the mining company or, at legacy mines, the taxpayer because of its effect on the landscape. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has several initiatives to evaluate critical mineral resources in various types of waste. This factsheet highlights studies of mine waste carried out by USGS scientists at the Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center in collaboration with other science centers funded through the USGS Mineral Resources Program. Recovery of critical minerals from mine waste can aid in remediation efforts and increase domestic supply of vital mineral resources.
Suggested Citation
Piatak, N., White, S.J., Hayes, S., and Seal, R.R., II, 2025, Critical minerals in mine waste: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2025–3026, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20253026.
ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Legacy mine sites
- Optimizing recovery at modern mines
- Mineralogical and geochemical characterization
- Mapping critical minerals at the national scale
- References Cited
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Critical minerals in mine waste |
| Series title | Fact Sheet |
| Series number | 2025-3026 |
| DOI | 10.3133/fs20253026 |
| Publication Date | May 30, 2025 |
| Year Published | 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center |
| Description | 2 p. |
| Online Only (Y/N) | Y |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |