Critical Minerals Recovery & Recycling

Strengthening U.S. Supply Chain ResiliencE

Today, the security and resilience of the nation’s supply chain is more important than ever. REMADE® and its members are developing advanced technologies to recover and recycle critical and key materials for U.S. manufacturing, including 11 critical minerals. These include aluminum, copper, lead, lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, palladium (a platinum group metal), silicon, silver, and tin.

These minerals are used to power major sectors of the U.S. economy and national security, including aerospace, communications, defense, healthcare, electronics, technology, and more.

Did You Know?

Recycling is indispensable to the security and sustainability of critical minerals

Recycling reduces new mine development needs by 40% for copper and cobalt, and by 25% for lithium and nickel by 2050. The market value of recycled energy transition minerals [is projected to grow] fivefold, reaching $200 billion by 2050.

Our Goals

Increase the recovery rate of critical minerals* to support their domestic production and reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions.

Develop collection strategies to maximize the recovery of critical minerals from end-of-life products.

Develop software tools that help designers identify ways to facilitate remanufacturing and increase recovery of critical minerals.

Leverage artificial intelligence tools to improve sorting and recovery of critical minerals.

* Critical minerals, as defined by the Department of Energy, include

  • Any nonfuel mineral, element, substance, or material that the Secretary of Energy determines:
    • Has high risk for supply chain disruption; and
    • Serves an essential function in one or more energy technologies, including technologies that produce, transmit, store, and conserve energy; or
  • A critical mineral [as designated by the Secretary of the Interior](USGS, 2025).