Idaho Researchers Develop Polymers to Recover Rare Earths

Idaho State University scientists are building polymer chains that bind rare earth elements found in waste, easing their extraction.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Chemistry

Clear glass beakers of amber liquid on a pale lab bench beside a window showing a dry hillside under overcast daylight. — Idaho State University researchers have developed polymer chains that bind rare earth elements found in waste, easing their extraction from discarded material. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Idaho State University researchers have developed polymers, long chains of molecules, that bind to rare earth elements in waste so those elements can be extracted. Once the elements are captured, the polymer is stripped away, leaving the rare earths behind.

Why it matters

Rare earth elements are used in smartphones, consumer electronics, wind turbines, and electric vehicles, and their supply depends heavily on mining. Recovering them from tailings and electronic waste could reduce reliance on newly mined ore.

The rare earth group includes 17 elements that share nearly identical atomic structures, which makes separating them a complex, repetitive process. All 17 co-occur in low concentrations within the host minerals bastnasite and monazite.

The players

Idaho State University

A public research university in Pocatello, Idaho, whose researchers developed the polymer extraction method.

Idaho State Board of Higher Education Research Council

A state body that oversees Idaho's public colleges and universities and funds research projects through grants.

The details

Researchers are using waste as part of the project to develop polymers that bind to rare earth minerals. The work is funded through a grant from the Idaho State Board of Higher Education Research Council and the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission Grant program.

Mine tailings production is estimated at 8.85 to 14.4 billion tons globally each year.

The Big Picture

Rare earth elements are central to the supply concerns reflected in the U.S. Geological Survey's critical minerals listings. This work points toward recovering them from waste streams rather than expanding primary mining.

If the approach scales, recovered rare earths from electronic waste could eventually feed into new electronics and electric vehicle components. The source does not give a timeline for commercial use.

The takeaway

Turning electronic and mining waste into a source of rare earth elements may ease pressure on new mining. Readers can watch for follow-up reporting on whether these polymers reach practical recovery volumes.