Phoenix Tailings Awarded $1.6 Million ARPA-E Grant to Recover Critical Minerals from Wastewater
Phoenix Tailings has been selected to receive $1.6 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). This funding comes through the RECOVER program (Realize Energy-rich Compound Opportunities Valorizing Extraction from Refuse waters), an initiative designed to reduce U.S. reliance on imported critical minerals and establish secure domestic supply chains for essential materials.
This award represents a critical milestone for Phoenix Tailings in its mission to extract valuable materials from non-conventional sources and advance a fully domestic, end-to-end critical metals supply chain.
Advancing Domestic Critical Minerals Production
The RECOVER program focuses on creating innovative methods to recover energy-rich compounds and critical minerals from waste streams. By leveraging this federal support, Phoenix Tailings aims to accelerate the development of technologies that allow the U.S. to reduce dependence on foreign supplies of rare earths and other strategic minerals, which are vital for advanced manufacturing, energy storage, electronics, and national security applications.
Phoenix Tailings’ approach is particularly significant because it focuses on extracting critical materials from non-traditional sources, such as tailings, wastewater, and other industrial residues. These resources are often overlooked but can provide a substantial supply of critical metals when processed with advanced technologies.
Innovative Ligand Technology
At the core of Phoenix Tailings’ project is the development of specialized chemical compounds known as ligands. These ligands are designed to form temperature-stable, volatile complexes with critical minerals present in dilute brine streams. This selective binding enables the recovery of valuable metals, including rare earth elements, even at very low concentrations commonly found in wastewater from oil, gas, and mining operations.
This innovative approach provides a new pathway for mineral separation that is more efficient, scalable, and environmentally sustainable than conventional methods. By targeting non-conventional sources, Phoenix Tailings is helping to expand the domestic supply of critical metals while minimizing waste and reducing the environmental impact of extraction.
Building a Circular Rare Earth Supply Chain
Phoenix Tailings’ long-term strategy is to create a stable, circular supply chain for rare earths and other critical metals. The company combines flexible extraction and separation technologies with modular metallization cells to establish a scalable platform for domestic production. This system allows the company to process a wide variety of feedstocks, including tailings from past mining operations, brines, and industrial wastewater.
A key advantage of Phoenix Tailings’ approach is its independence from foreign sources. The company operates without reliance on Chinese inputs, equipment, or technology, which strengthens the resilience of the U.S. and allied critical metals ecosystem. This independence ensures that American manufacturers have access to a reliable supply of essential materials necessary for clean energy technologies, electronics, aerospace, and other high-tech industries.
Economic and Strategic Impact
The development of domestic critical mineral supply chains has significant economic and strategic implications. Rare earth elements and other critical minerals are essential components of many high-value products, from electric vehicles and wind turbines to defense technologies and consumer electronics. Currently, much of the U.S. supply depends on imports, which can create vulnerabilities in times of geopolitical tension or supply disruptions.
By enabling the recovery of critical minerals from wastewater and other non-traditional sources, Phoenix Tailings contributes to national resource security and supports economic growth. This technology has the potential to generate new domestic jobs, attract investment in advanced manufacturing, and position the United States as a leader in sustainable critical minerals production.
Partnership with ARPA-E
The funding from ARPA-E strengthens Phoenix Tailings’ collaboration with the federal government in advancing domestic energy and resource security. ARPA-E’s RECOVER program specifically targets innovative approaches to recover valuable materials from waste streams, making Phoenix Tailings an ideal partner due to its expertise in chemical extraction and metallization technologies.
“Phoenix Tailings is delivering metal to customers today as one of the top producers in the sector,” said Nick Myers, co-founder and CEO of Phoenix Tailings. “At the same time, our researchers are continuing to develop technology to make America’s critical minerals supply chain stronger, faster, and more competitive. This funding is a powerful continuation of our extraction capabilities to unlock unconventional sources of materials.”
The ARPA-E partnership represents a critical step toward transforming the way the United States approaches critical mineral recovery. By combining government support with private sector innovation, Phoenix Tailings is helping to build a robust, independent supply chain that can meet the demands of a modern, technology-driven economy.
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