EQC seeks funding for extraction of rare earths and critical minerals from current mining locations

The Montana Environmental Quality Council (EQC) approved a formal request on December 2 for federal funding to support projects aimed at extracting rare earth and critical minerals from existing mining sites across the state. The letter, directed to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, seeks financing via the Armys Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation account for the Montana Mining Associations Rare Earth and Critical Minerals Extraction Demonstration initiative.

The approval came with a 14-1 vote, although some legislators suggested placing restrictions on the types of projects that could receive funding. The federal government has emphasized the importance of domestic production of critical and rare earth minerals, encouraging investments in mining operations and innovative extraction technologies within the United States.

Montana, long recognized for its mining history, is exploring ways to repurpose old mining sites to recover high-value minerals. Notable locations under consideration include the Berkeley Pit in Butte and smelter waste near Anaconda. There are billions of gallons of metal-laden water in the Berkeley Pit, along with hundreds of millions of tons of smelter waste, containing significant quantities of critical metals, said Matt Vincent, director of the Montana Mining Association, during an October EQC meeting.

Vincent emphasized the presence of key federally prioritized minerals such as zinc, germanium, copper, cobalt, tungsten, manganese, nickel, bismuth, and antimony. Research by Montana Tech University and other geological institutions has focused on extracting rare earth elements from coal waste, mining wastewater, and specifically the Berkeley Pit, with estimates suggesting the potential to yield approximately 40 tons of rare earths annually.

The Montana Mining Associations initiatives involve multiple sites, including the Berkeley Pit, Anaconda smelter waste complex, Sibanye-Sillwater mine, Black Butte mine, and Antonioli-Contact mine. Our project selection is based on legacy or permitted sites where initial sampling has identified significant quantities of critical elements, making them ideal candidates for targeted extraction, Vincent explained.

Concerns were raised by Representative Josh Seckinger, D-Bozeman, regarding the lack of specific site names in the funding request, which could create confusion about the types of mining operations being supported.

Several conservation groups voiced opinions during the EQC meeting. While supportive of repurposing existing mining locations, they expressed caution regarding new mining operations. Julia DalSoglio from the Montana Sierra Club stated, It makes sense to focus on rare earth and critical minerals at locations like the Berkeley Pit and Anaconda smelter site. Similarly, Ben Cotton from the Montana Environmental Information Center highlighted the need for clearer language in the funding request to avoid misunderstandings about potential projects.

The EQC ultimately approved the letter with an addition specifying the five priority projects of the Montana Mining Association, along with the possibility of addressing future legacy sites.

Sources:

• EQC requests funding for rare earth and critical mineral extraction from existing mining sites

Author: Ethan Caldwell
Ethan Caldwell is an experienced reporter with 10 years covering international news. He specializes in politics and economics, with strong investigative journalism and analytical writing skills.