Ionic Mineral Technologies has identified a significant deposit of critical minerals in the Utah desert, potentially bolstering domestic supply chains for industries ranging from electric vehicles to defense. While mining halloysite clay for nanosilicon—used in lithium-ion batteries—the company discovered high concentrations of 16 different rare earth and critical elements at a site known as Silicon Ridge.
Independent analyses indicate the deposit is an ion-adsorption clay formation, similar to those that supply a large share of China’s rare earths. Ionic’s findings include lithium, alumina, germanium, rubidium, cesium, vanadium, niobium and scandium—materials essential for battery cells, semiconductor chips and aerospace components.
Andre Zeitoun, founder and chief executive of Ionic, noted that many of these elements “are indispensable for electric vehicles, fighter jets and artificial intelligence hardware.” To date, the company has drilled across more than 600 acres to a depth of roughly 100 feet, but its exploration rights cover an 8,000-acre district already permitted for mining and equipped with roads, water and other infrastructure. Ionic plans to process the extracted material at its nearby manufacturing facility in Provo, Utah.
The discovery arrives amid U.S. efforts to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers—particularly China, which currently dominates the rare earth market. Senior U.S. officials, including representatives of the administration, have expressed interest in supporting domestic critical mineral production. At a recent conference, the Interior Department secretary highlighted the country’s abundant onshore and offshore mineral resources.
Local leaders have welcomed the find. Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz said the state is “uniquely positioned” to secure the nation’s critical mineral needs. Barbara Arnold, a mining engineering professor at Pennsylvania State University, described the deposit as “good news,” while noting that ion-exchangeable clays can pose extraction challenges and require careful processing.
Ionic Mineral Technologies views the Utah discovery as a foundational step in developing a robust domestic supply of minerals vital to emerging technologies. Further drilling and feasibility studies are planned to define the full extent of the resource.
Source: Wall Street Journal
