Rare Earth Element Mining and Recovery: A Regulatory Overview

An overview of potential environmental regulations is provided in this section for stakeholders who are concerned with the environmental, health effects and impacts across authorities for rare earth elements (REE) and critical minerals (CM) recovered from both conventional as well as unconventional feedstock resources as mine tailings, abandoned hard rock mining sites, coal and coal by-products and recycling. Regulations for REE and CM recovery facilities will be based on the source material matrix, the type of recovery process (chemical, physical or biological), the surrounding environment in association with the types of potential discharges and storage of hazardous materials located on or at the recovery facilities. It is recommended that any new facility that is being planned for REE and/or CM recovery consult their federal, state, and local environmental regulatory agencies. Early regulatory consultation for new facilities and or for the expansion of existing facilities is recommended prior to and during the permit application process.