Moriah ore tailings pile could be rare earths source

Apr. 26—MORIAH — Phoenix Tailings has started a pilot program to recover rare earths from the old iron ore tailings pile in Moriah.

The tailings pile in Moriah's Mineville hamlet towers over the community and contains the waste from the iron ore extraction process.

The mines, now owned by Solvay-North America, a French chemical company, closed in 1971.

U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) sent a letter to Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urging the DoD to expedite the implementation of Section 152 of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, which would allow the DoD to work with companies like Phoenix Tailings to extract rare earth metals.

Stefanik said in a release that the extraction is "critical to strengthening our defense manufacturing sector and military readiness."

Stefanik said she secured the inclusion of Section 152 in the FY24 NDAA, which grants the DoD multiyear procurement authority to secure domestically processed critical minerals.

RECOVERY FACILITY

Phoenix Tailings, based in Woburn, Mass., wants to construct a recovery facility in the old Barton Hill Mine in Moriah, which it says will be a key part of a fully domestic rare earth metal processing operation.

In her letter, Stefanik said: "The recent and consistent actions by Beijing, tightening export controls on rare earths and other critical minerals, underscore the urgent need for the implementation of measures such as Section 152 of the FY24 NDAA, as China continues to assert increased control over crucial supply chains, posing a significant threat to U.S. national security interests.

"By committing to multiyear procurement contracts for domestically processed rare earths, we are doing more than just secure vital supplies; we build a resilient supply chain, reducing the risk of disruption and ensuring the continued production of critical defense technology."

She said FY24 NDAA will boost critical mineral processing not just in Moriah but around the USA.

"Securing a domestic rare earth metal supply chain is not merely about safeguarding our military readiness, but it's a critical step in fortifying our nation's resilience against external threats," she said in the release. "By taking proactive measures, we strengthen our ability to maintain strategic autonomy and safeguard our national security interests for years to come."

Phoenix Tailings says it extracts "valuable metals and rare earth elements from mining waste. Our process uses clean energy sources and produces zero waste, creating a cleaner supply chain."

The U.S. Geological Survey did aerial surveys in 2015 that detected rare earths in the tailings pile.

The rare earth elements are mostly contained in millimeter-size crystals known as fluorapatite that are found in deposits of iron ore, USGS said. When the iron was mined, the fluorapatite was left behind as waste.

No target date was available for the start of the extraction effort.