The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide funding to Infinite Elements, Inc. (IE) to design, fabricate, and operate a pilot-scale biohydrometallurgical processing system for recovery of critical minerals and materials (CMMs) from electronic waste (e-waste) and manufacturing scrap, i.e., a biological leaching operation to separate out metals from e-waste.
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
June 9, 2026
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide funding to Infinite Elements, Inc. (IE) to design, fabricate, and operate a pilot-scale biohydrometallurgical processing system for recovery of critical minerals and materials (CMMs) from electronic waste (e-waste) and manufacturing scrap, i.e., a biological leaching operation to separate out metals from e-waste.
Bioleaching process development, microbial strain engineering, enzyme optimization, and data analysis would occur at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. The processing system would be installed at IE's Innovation Factory in El Paso, Texas, consisting of 100- and 350-gallon tanks and associated equipment. E-waste would be collected from the city of El Paso by IE, transported to the Factory, and processed. Additional activities at this facility would include materials testing and validation, data collection and analysis, and refinement of processes.