Overview

The A34 site at Mount Storm, West Virginia is where WVU’s rare earth element research moves from concept to reality. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, A34 is the nation’s first operational demonstration that acid mine drainage can serve as a continuous, domestic source of strategically critical rare earth elements.

A34 Case Study

Recovery of Rare Earths from Acid Mine Drainage

What makes A34 significant isn’t just what it recovers, but how: by integrating directly into existing AMD treatment infrastructure, the process requires no new mining, no additional permitting, and no disruption to ongoing environmental remediation. The result is a proven, scalable model for turning legacy mine water into a domestic supply of the heavy rare earth elements the U.S. needs most. Read the full case study.