Rare Earth Discovery in the ADKS Could Bring Jobs, Cleanup, and National Security

Rare Earth Minerals Found in Adirondacks?

A groundbreaking three-year study at the abandoned Barton Mine in Moriah, NY, has revealed something few ever expected to hear: the Adirondacks may be sitting on a significant source of rare earth minerals.

The metals are essential for a wide range of applications, including smartphones, electric vehicles, U.S. fighter jets, and missile systems.

According to a report in the Adirondack Explorer, representatives from Phoenix Tailings, a Boston-based company with a mission to bring rare earth refining back to American soil, briefed Essex County officials last week.

The company states that its findings justify moving forward with a development and production phase. If all goes well, full production could begin in as little as two to three years.

Why Does This Matter?

Because rare earths, despite the name, aren’t rare. They are scattered, hard to extract, and typically controlled by one country: China, which currently controls around 70% of the world’s rare earth ore and 90% of the global supply chain.

China recently threatened to withhold supplies earlier this year, sending shockwaves through the worldwide manufacturing and defense sectors.

That’s why the Adirondack discovery is so significant.

What Did They Find?

Phoenix Tailings found eight rare earth elements concentrated in the 3 million metric tons of mine waste sitting above ground at the old Moriah iron site. These minerals are used in jet engines, lasers, high-strength magnets, electronics, including the F-35 fighter jet, which contains roughly 900 pounds of rare earth metals.
These valuable elements aren’t buried deep in the earth. They’re in mine tailings, which are byproducts left over from iron mining in the 1940s, much of which initially fueled the U.S. during World War II.

Phoenix Tailings claims to have developed a cleaner, non-toxic refining method that avoids the harsh chemicals used by other countries. If they succeed, the project wouldn’t just supply critical materials, according to their findings; it could also clean up long-neglected tailings piles across the Adirondacks, as reported.

"Cautious Optimism"

Local supervisors sounded cautiously optimistic, according to the report.  The pilot plant would employ up to 15 people, and under the agreement, the county would receive 5% of any profits.

If the project succeeds, it could bring jobs, cleanup efforts, and a national-security-level industry to the Adirondacks, all while turning old mine waste into something we desperately need.