SMRTR Science & EngineeringJun 21, 2026Interesting Engineering

Old servers, hard drives could become new source of critical rare earths: Report

SMRTR summary

Old computers, servers, and hard drives contain rare earth metals critical for AI, electric vehicles, and defense systems — but recovering them has been difficult and costly. Ohio-based Paladin Envirotech is tackling this by expanding its U.S. collection network, including a new 93,000-square-foot Phoenix facility, using patented acid-free technology to extract these metals before they're lost to overseas markets or landfills.

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