A new study reveals that US mining operations are discarding vast amounts of critical minerals that could transform the electric vehicle (EV) sector and strengthen the country’s economy. Researchers from the Colorado School of Mines found that minerals such as lithium, cobalt, gallium, and neodymium—essential for EV batteries, electronics, renewable energy, and military equipment—are routinely thrown away as mining waste, or “tailings.”
Despite being extracted from the ground, these minerals are often ignored as US mines focus on more traditional resources like gold, copper, and zinc. According to the study, the lithium wasted each year could supply batteries for 10 million electric vehicles, while discarded manganese could support production for 99 million EVs. Recovering just 10% of wasted cobalt could meet the entire US demand for EV batteries, and less than 1% of germanium recovery could eliminate imports of the mineral entirely.
The research, published in Science, examined 54 active mines across the US, including Red Dog in Alaska and Stillwater and East Boulder in Montana, showing enormous untapped potential for domestic supply of critical minerals. Lead author Elizabeth Holley emphasized that even small-scale recovery could dramatically reduce the US reliance on imports from countries such as China, Australia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
While extracting these minerals from tailings is technically challenging and costly, experts say developing such processes could generate thousands of jobs in mining, processing, and EV production, while lowering costs for US manufacturers and boosting the domestic economy.
The findings highlight an overlooked “hidden goldmine” that could not only reshape the EV market but also strengthen America’s position in the global supply chain for critical technologies.
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