A U.S. research project aims to extract critical raw materials from contaminated waters in Colorado, while simultaneously enhancing environmental protection.
Rare earth elements are essential inputs for a wide range of modern technologies. However, rapidly growing demand is increasingly colliding with limited availability. Researchers around the world are therefore exploring alternative sources and extraction methods, including algae, bacteria, proteins, and even discarded lamps.
Mountain streams in the United States, particularly in Colorado, could soon provide a more independent supply of these strategic resources. Along the so-called Mineral Belt, acidic waterways leach metals from the surrounding bedrock. In some cases, this contamination can be traced back to abandoned mining sites; in others, it results from natural geochemical processes. Climate change is further intensifying these effects.
Years of research led by the University of Colorado (CU) have focused on studying this phenomenon. In the process, researchers report that they “accidentally” discovered unusually high concentrations of rare earth elements in the affected waters.
U.S. Government Supports Rare Earth Extraction From Polluted Mountain Streams
A new project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy with USD 2.8 million, now aims to develop a method for recovering these resources. The planned approach involves molecular-level extraction using ion-imprinted polymers made from byproducts of seafood processing. According to the researchers, these polymers function like puzzle pieces: they selectively bind rare earth elements, while other molecules do not interact with them and can be filtered out of the water.
Artificial intelligence will be used to further enhance the material’s selectivity and improve the separation of individual rare earth elements from one another. At the same time, potential sites for future extraction are being identified.
Beyond unlocking new sources of raw materials, the proposed process is expected to improve water quality and reduce the risks posed by metal contamination to ecosystems and regional water supplies. Such remediation measures are typically extremely costly, explains Diane McKnight, Professor of Environmental and Water Research at CU. Recovering a valuable resource in parallel, she notes, fundamentally changes the economic equation.
More on critical raw materials in wastewater: As demand rises in sectors such as renewable energy and defense, wastewater is increasingly viewed as a viable source of strategic materials. Corresponding projects often receive public funding or are supported by major mining companies.
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