Phoenix Tailings develops cleaner process for rare earth metals extraction

MIT alumni-founded company says electrochemical method reduces pollution from mining waste

By LineZotpaper

Published20 October 2026

Read Time1 min

Tomás Villalón Jr., an MIT alumnus who grew up seeing the smog of Monterrey, Mexico, co-founded Phoenix Tailings in 2019 to develop a cleaner way to extract rare earth metals from mining waste. The company says its proprietary electrochemical process generates no toxic byproducts and can be carbon-free when powered by renewable energy.

Phoenix Tailings, co-founded by Tomás Villalón Jr. (MIT ’14) with Michelle Chao ’17, Nick Myers, and Anthony Balladon, aims to address the huge waste stream produced by mining. Villalón, who studied materials science and worked on decarbonizing steelmaking at MIT spinoff Boston Metal, said his motivation comes from witnessing the pollution created by metal production. “I’m motivated because I’ve seen what metal-making does,” he told MIT Technology Review. “The mining ecosystem by itself makes over several billion tons of waste. We have to get rid of this pollution.”

The company’s technique relies on electrochemistry rather than conventional chemical baths, which often release harmful substances. When run on renewable electricity, the process emits no carbon dioxide. While still early-stage, Phoenix Tailings represents a potential shift toward more sustainable metallurgy, turning waste into a resource without adding to the environmental burden.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Rare earth metals are essential for electronics, clean-energy tech, and defence, but traditional extraction creates toxic waste. A cleaner method could reduce environmental damage.
Mining generates billions of tonnes of waste annually; a process that recovers valuable metals from that waste could lower the need for new mining and shrink pollution.
If scaled, the technology might help countries build domestic rare earth supply chains with less ecological cost.

Background

Rare earth metals are critical components in smartphones, electric-vehicle motors, wind turbines and many high-tech devices. Conventional extraction and refining often involves hazardous chemicals and produces large volumes of contaminated waste. Phoenix Tailings, founded in 2019 by a team with MIT roots, aims to replace those methods with an electrochemical process that, according to the company, produces no toxins and can run on renewable energy. The company is part of a broader movement toward cleaner industrial processes.

Key Perspectives

Phoenix Tailings: The company asserts its electrochemical technique is efficient, toxin-free and carbon-free when powered by renewables. Founder Tomás Villalón Jr. cites personal experience with industrial smog in Monterrey as a driving force behind the mission.
Industry observers: Independent validation of the claims is not yet publicly available, but the process addresses a real environmental problem, mining waste, and could interest governments seeking secure, low-impact rare earth supplies.

What to Watch

Whether Phoenix Tailings can move from laboratory scale to commercial demonstration.
Interest from mining companies and government agencies in pilot projects or partnerships.
Any third-party lifecycle assessments that verify the claimed environmental benefits.

Sources

A cleaner path to rare earth metals · MIT Technology Review

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 5 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedPhoenix Tailings has developed a cleaner process for extracting rare earth metals.MIT Technology Review: “In 2019 he cofounded Phoenix Tailings, which has developed an efficient process for extracting rare earth metals from mining waste.”
Partly supportedThe MIT alumni-founded company says its electrochemical method reduces pollution from mining waste.MIT Technology Review: “The company asserts that its proprietary electrochemical technique for processing rare earths generates no toxins and is carbon-free when fueled by renewables.”
Partly supportedVillalón grew up seeing smog in Monterrey, Mexico.MIT Technology Review: “Tomás Villalón Jr. ’14 was raised in San Antonio, Texas, but vividly remembers smog hanging over the city his family came from—Monterrey, Mexico”
SupportedVillalón co-founded Phoenix Tailings in 2019.MIT Technology Review: “In 2019 he cofounded Phoenix Tailings, which has developed an efficient process for extracting rare earth metals from mining waste.”
Partly supportedThe company’s process generates no toxic byproducts.MIT Technology Review: “The company asserts that its proprietary electrochemical technique for processing rare earths generates no toxins and is carbon-free when fueled by renewables.”
SupportedThe process is carbon-free when powered by renewable energy and emits no carbon dioxide.MIT Technology Review: “The company asserts that its proprietary electrochemical technique for processing rare earths generates no toxins and is carbon-free when fueled by renewables.”
SupportedVillalón said, “I’m motivated because I’ve seen what metal-making does,” to MIT Technology Review.MIT Technology Review: ““I’m motivated because I’ve seen what metal-making does,” says Villalón, who majored in materials science and engineering.”
SupportedVillalón said, “The mining ecosystem by itself makes over several billion tons of waste. We have to get rid of this pollution.”MIT Technology Review: ““The mining ecosystem by itself makes over several billion tons of waste,” says Villalón, who serves as chief technology officer. (Others on the founding team are Michelle Chao ’17, Nick Myers, and Anthony Balladon.) “We have to get rid of this pollution.””
Partly supportedThe technique uses electrochemistry rather than conventional chemical baths, which often release harmful substances.MIT Technology Review: “The company asserts that its proprietary electrochemical technique for processing rare earths generates no toxins and is carbon-free when fueled by renewables.”
Not in the sourcesPhoenix Tailings is still early-stage.
Not in the sourcesThe company’s process represents a potential shift toward more sustainable metallurgy.
Partly supportedThe process turns waste into a resource without adding to the environmental burden.MIT Technology Review: “In 2019 he cofounded Phoenix Tailings, which has developed an efficient process for extracting rare earth metals from mining waste.”