Recent Mixed Rare Earth Oxide (MREO) production at the A34 Facility which is operated jointly with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. The A34 plant treats acid mine drainage for discharge to the headwaters of the Potomac River and produces these Light and Heavy MREO concentrates.

Project Description

The objective of this project is to complete the front-end engineering design and pre-construction planning activities for a first-of-a-kind demonstration facility capable of producing rare earth elements (REE) and select critical minerals and materials (CMM) from domestic acid mine drainage and mineral tailings feedstocks. The facility will be designed to produce 1 to 3 metric tons per day of mixed rare earth oxides that will be separated into individual and binary REE and CMM components at a single site. The project team will develop a cost estimate according to Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering Class 3 guidelines. This project could incentivize the treatment of hundreds of legacy acid mine drainage discharges, allow streams to recover productivity, and produce a robust and steady supply of high value REE and CMM for domestic industries.

Project Benefits

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will invest appropriations of $156 million for the design, construction, and operation of a Rare Earth Element Demonstration Facility that demonstrates the extraction, separation and refining from unconventional feedstock materials to high purity individual or binary rare earth metals and/or critical minerals and materials. The projects funded under DE-FOA-0002618 support BIL sections 40205 and 41003(b) and the broader government-wide approach to upgrading and modernizing infrastructure, including by strengthening critical domestic manufacturing and supply chains to maximize the benefits of the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice. These BIL sections are focused on:

• Creating and retaining good-paying jobs, where workers are properly classified as employees, free from discrimination and harassment, with a free and fair choice to join, form, or assist a union.
• Supporting inclusive and supportive workforce development efforts to strengthen America’s competitive advantage based on innovation, efficiency, and a skilled and diverse workforce up and down the supply chain.
• Rebuilding the U.S. leadership role in economically viable, environmentally benign extraction, separation, and processing technologies that support the generation of sustainable U.S. domestic supply chains for onshore production of REE and CMM for commercial commodities, clean energy, and national defense industries.
• Enhancing national security by reducing the reliance of the United States on foreign competitors for critical materials and technologies.

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