The United States has depended on foreign imports to obtain rare earth elements, which serve as essential components in smartphones and renewable energy technologies, for multiple years. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin discovered that America has been missing a significant domestic rare earth element supply, which scientists overlooked since the 1970s.
The United States possesses $8.4 billion worth of rare earth elements buried inside its coal ash landfills. The fine powder generated from burning coal for fuel, which people traditionally viewed as industrial waste, is known as coal ash. Modern scientific research has proven that this industrial waste contains valuable minerals that can be easily extracted.
The production of batteries, solar panels, and high-performance magnets requires rare earth elements as essential components. Bridget Scanlon, who co-led the study, explained that this discovery perfectly demonstrates how waste can transform into valuable resources. The cycle ends as we extract valuable resources from waste materials and simultaneously decrease environmental challenges.
The research indicates that U.S. coal ash holds 11 million tons of rare earth elements that exceed eight times the current known domestic reserves. The discovery of substantial rare earth element reserves in U.S. coal ash might transform American policies regarding critical mineral acquisition, thus reducing dependence on foreign imports.
The separation of minerals from their original ore during coal burning gives coal ash extraction an advantage because it eliminates the need for energy-intensive refining processes. The distribution of rare earth elements shows differences between different geographical areas. The Appalachian Basin contains the greatest mineral concentrations, yet the Powder River Basin provides higher extraction capabilities.
Large-scale economic viability faces ongoing obstacles for this extraction method. Element USA leads the development of necessary technology and workforce alongside other companies. The growth of investments in this discovery enables the U.S. to create a domestic rare earth element supply that transforms industrial waste into valuable national resources.
