U.S. Races to Mine Minerals from Waste | Durham News

Durham News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 3, 2026 · 1m

The U.S. is racing to cut its reliance on China for critical minerals essential to advanced weapons, as military demands surge and trade bans tighten. Phoenix Tailings, backed by a Pentagon loan, is pioneering the extraction of these rare elements from mining waste—offering a faster path to domestic supply than new mines. While companies like a magnet maker are turning to former European sites, key minerals like tungsten remain locked in Chinese hands. This urgent push aims to build a resilient, self-sufficient defense supply chain before geopolitical pressure escalates further. Listen in…