SMRTR Science & EngineeringMar 17, 2025Interesting Engineering

Buried fortune: US finds $8.4 billion in rare earths sitting in coal ash landfills

SMRTR summary

Coal ash deposits in the U.S. contain $8.4 billion worth of rare earth elements, potentially reducing dependence on imports. This discovery could transform waste into a valuable resource for critical minerals used in technologies like batteries and solar panels, with an estimated 11 million tons available nationwide.

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