The primary objectives of this one-year scoping project are to determine the feasibility of extracting byproduct mineral commodities, such as critical minerals, from mine tailings. We plan to analyze the existing data and reports from an active mine sites on the composition of their mill tailings pile, and collect preliminary reconnaissance samples to identify appropriate analytical techniques that will be most useful to this study. The array of techniques considered will span standard and advanced mineralogical characterization techniques.
The article focuses on how USGS scientists are using cutting edge tools to revisit Mine Waste and Tailings for Resources