U.S. and industry accelerate domestic critical-metals processing, magnets, and space-tech supply chains

The U.S. Department of Energy launched TRACE-Ga to support technologies that recover gallium from domestic metal-processing streams, aiming to create a reliable feedstock for high-tech, energy and defense sectors. Processing firms Metallium and Ucore signed a 12-month technology collaboration to develop a U.S. pathway that converts diverse rare-earth feedstocks into separated oxides suitable for magnets, electronics and clean-energy applications. Energy Fuels validated neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) from its White Mesa mill by producing permanent magnets tested in EV motors — capacity equivalent to about 1,500 cars — while American Resources expanded recycling equipment to extract rare earths from shredded e-waste. In mining, Teck and Anglo American agreed to merge into a $53 billion Anglo Teck group focused on copper, zinc and iron, and Felix Gold’s Treasure Creek project in Alaska is advancing as a near-term antimony source for defense applications. Space and materials tech also advanced: NASA scientists say a Perseverance sample’s organics are best explained by ancient microbial activity and have invited external review; a NASA fellowship will fund research on molten-salt electrolysis to make aluminum from lunar regolith. Separately, Boeing demonstrated 3D-printed satellite solar arrays, NREL announced new functional crystals for electronics, and multiple U.S. magnet and battery supply projects moved forward — all reinforcing domestic supply-chain resilience for clean-energy and aerospace systems.