Supra Elemental Recovery

Supra Elemental Recovery Inc. is a privately held U.S. critical-minerals recovery startup that spun out of engineering and natural-sciences laboratories at The University of Texas at Austin, launching in February 2026 with a $2 million pre-seed funding round. The company commercializes a proprietary separations technology that recovers high-purity critical minerals and rare-earth elements from domestic waste streams including mine tailings, industrial byproducts and electronic waste. Its system uses reusable, cartridge-like 3D-printed porous modules that selectively capture and sequentially release targeted ions using simple solvents such as alcohol and water, reducing reliance on toxic reagents. Initial focus targets gallium and scandium for semiconductors, aerospace, energy and defense, with broader applicability to cobalt, lithium and rare earths. As a processor and recycler rather than a miner, Supra aims to strengthen U.S. supply-chain resilience and reduce dependence on Chinese-dominated critical-mineral refining.