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Critical minerals are hiding in plain sight in U.S. Mines

Researchers found that U.S. metal mines already contain large amounts of critical minerals that are mostly going unused. Recovering even a small fraction of these byproducts could sharply reduce dependence on imports for materials essential to clean energy and advanced technology. In many cases, the value of these recovered minerals could exceed the value of the mines’ primary products. The findings point to a surprisingly simple way to boost domestic supply without opening new mines.

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