The Cornell Brooks Tech Policy Institute (BTPI) has released a new report urging federal action to advance biomining, the use of microorganisms to extract metals from ores and waste streams. The study highlights that critical minerals such as rare earths, cobalt, nickel, and lithium are indispensable for U.S. defense systems, clean energy, and advanced electronics, yet China controls more than 80–90 percent of global refining capacity—creating chokepoints that expose serious national security risks. While biomining offers cleaner, lower-cost processing that can tap low-grade ores and reduce environmental harms, the U.S. remains at the research stage with startups and pilots but no commercial-scale operations, falling behind countries like Chile and Finland. The report’s findings underscore that without stronger federal investment to bridge laboratory breakthroughs into industrial deployment, the U.S. risks losing the opportunity to secure domestic mineral independence and safeguard its strategic resilience.

Full report here