U.S. industry practices and attitudes towards reprocessing mine tailings for metal recovery

Payne Institute Research Associate Aaron Malone, Faculty Fellows Elizabeth Holley, Priscilla Nelson, and Erik Spiller, and Lukas Fahle and Nina Zaronikola write about how recovery of metals from mine tailings has the potential to reduce environmental liabilities and contribute to circular economy, but implementation is limited. This study uses three methods to examine the state of practice and identify knowledge gaps around tailings reprocessing.  June 27, 2025.