From Tailings to Treasure-DOI Launches Ambitious Mine Waste Recovery Push–Order No. 3436

Highlights

• DOI announces comprehensive plan to recover critical minerals from mine waste, coal refuse, and abandoned uranium sites
• The initiative aims to enhance mineral independence, reduce import reliance, and turn environmental liabilities into domestic resource assets.
• USGS mapping validates mineral potential in legacy sites across multiple U.S. regions
• Offers a two-for-one approach of resource recovery and environmental cleanup

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In a move that combines environmental reclamation with mineral strategy, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced (opens in a new tab) a comprehensive initiative to recover critical minerals—including rare earth elements (REEs), germanium, tellurium, antimony, and zinc—from mine waste, coal refuse, and abandoned uranium sites. The July 24 press release, citing Secretary Doug Burgum and recent USGS mapping, signals an apparent shift in policy toward domestic mineral recovery over new greenfield mining.

According to Secretary Doug Burgum

“By unlocking the potential of our mine waste, we are not only recovering valuable critical minerals essential for our economy and national security, but we are also leveraging groundbreaking research from the U.S. Geological Survey that identifies promising sources of these minerals.” Burgum continued, “This initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to achieving mineral independence and ensuring that America leads the way in advanced technologies that power our future while turning environmental challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.”

The Order

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Order No. 3436 (opens in a new tab), issued on July 24, 2025, seeks to accelerate the extraction of critical and strategic minerals—such as rare earth elements, uranium, and tellurium—from mine waste across the United States. Framed as a response to executive orders declaring a national energy emergency, the directive calls for streamlining federal permitting, incentivizing private sector involvement, and promoting emerging technologies that can extract valuable minerals from legacy mine sites, tailings, and coal refuse. Special emphasis is placed on abandoned uranium mine (AUM) waste, where recovery efforts that include environmental benefits and no taxpayer burden will be fast-tracked.

To support implementation, the order directs agencies like BLM, OSMRE, and USGS to update regulations, expand public mapping of mine waste, and clarify how funding from programs like SMCRA, AMLER, and the IIJA can be used to support recovery and reclamation. The order is administrative in nature, drawing from a mix of historical and recent laws, and does not itself authorize mining or override existing environmental protections. Instead, it lays the groundwork for what could become a major policy shift—turning environmental liabilities into domestic resource assets and reducing U.S. reliance on imported critical minerals.

What’s Rock-Solid: Known Waste, Known Potential

USGS-backed findings at legacy sites like Tar Creek (OK) and Bingham Canyon (UT) are real: tailings and waste rock there contain measurable concentrations of critical minerals. The presence of REEs in Appalachian clay-rich coal seams and antimony at Coeur d’Alene (ID) has also been validated in peer-reviewed geological surveys.

Moreover, the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (EMRI) has long sought to support mineral supply diversification by updating outdated geological data, particularly in underexplored regions of the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. Integrating these datasets with environmental cleanup programs is a strategic two-for-one.

Regulatory Streamlining: Promise or Premature?

The order to “streamline federal regulations” on mine waste recovery is policy-forward but process-opaque. There’s no clarity yet on how permitting timelines, environmental reviews, or public comment periods will be altered—or what oversight mechanisms will apply.

Also missing: a clear funding roadmap. While eligibility for federal support is encouraged, there’s no quantification of grants, tax incentives, or bond guarantees to lure private-sector participation.

The Spin Factor: Mineral Independence or Election-Year Messaging?

The press release is heavy on nationalist rhetoric—“unleashing full potential,” “mineral independence,” “energy dominance”—reflecting the tone of the broader Trump-era H.R. 1 ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’. While the goals are strategic, the messaging suggests more political posturing than policy precision.

No mention is made of tribal consultation, community input, or downstream ESG safeguards—a notable omission for projects involving legacy uranium or heavy metal waste.  Remember, only about 1% of all rare earth magnets have been derived from recycled processes to date.

Bottom Line: Smart Strategy, Needs Substance

Turning mine waste into a mineral supply is a compelling idea—and geologically viable. But as with all policy gold rushes, implementation details and guardrails will determine whether this is a sustainable transformation or a short-term spin.