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.
Repository of sources (projects) under the Mineral Resources Program. Objective: Understanding potential and existing environmental impacts of mineral resources and their extraction promotes sustainable development of needed mineral materials and responsible stewardship of our natural resources. Topics include baseline data, bioavailability, deposit models, geochemistry, metal mobility, metals in waste, mine waste, mineral resource formation.
Mineral development is an important land use within the BLM's multiple-use mandate. In communities across the country, mining provides jobs, economic activity and important commodities that are essential to maintain a high quality of life. This website discusses the mining and mineral processes under the purview of the BLM.