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Industrial Wastes: An Unexplored Source of Valuable Minerals

EMD-80-45 Published: May 15, 1980. Publicly Released: May 15, 1980.
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Highlights

Industrial wastes often contain valuable metals, and are often disposed of in ways that preclude the future recovery of mineral values. While Congress passed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 to improve the recovery of usable materials from waste, the executive branch has done little to enhance mineral recovery, especially from industrial wastes. GAO reviewed this situation to determine: (1) the extent to which mineral values are recovered from industrial wastestreams; (2) the potential for greater recovery; (3) impediments to further recovery; and (4) actions to be taken by the Federal Government to accelerate and increase mineral recovery.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA should continue to vigorously pursue the establishment of the new interagency committee to coordinate executive branch actions toward legislated resource recovery objectives.
Closed – Not Implemented
The Administrator of EPA has not established a new interagency committee over the past 3.5 years.
Department of Commerce The Secretary of Commerce should work with the Department of Justice to develop guidelines to industry, for the establishment of joint resource recovery ventures that will be compatible with the Department of Justice antitrust concerns.
Closed – Implemented
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The Secretary of the Interior should explore ways to enhance its industrial waste recovery research. Specifically, the Bureau of Mines should work closely with the Department of Commerce and EPA to support resource-recovery opportunities that require technical research. The Bureau of Mines also needs to do more to assure the potential application of specific projects by demonstrating to industry through pilot plants or other means, the economic worth of developed technologies.
Closed – Not Implemented
The Bureau of Mines has redirected its research to strategic and critical mineral development. Resource recovery is now the responsibility of EPA and the Department of Energy.

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Topics

Agency missionsFunds managementIndustrial wastesMineral resources conservationProgram evaluationProgram managementWaste disposalWaste managementWaste treatmentCopper