US confirms major rare earth and critical metals discovery in Utah

Ionic Mineral Technologies (Ionic MT), a US battery materials manufacturer based in Provo, Utah, has confirmed a major discovery of a high-grade rare earth and critical metals deposit beneath Utah’s desert at its Silicon Ridge project. Independent assays verified that the 74,000-square-foot site contains about 16 high-quality minerals, including lithium, gallium, germanium, rubidium, cesium, vanadium, tungsten, niobium, and both light and heavy rare earth elements. The deposit, found in ion-adsorption clay formations similar to those responsible for a significant portion of China’s rare earth production, shows an average combined grade of around 2,700 parts per million, which is higher than comparable Chinese deposits. This grade has been confirmed across only 11 percent of the project area, indicating substantial potential for expansion. The discovery is considered a pivotal step toward US resource independence, as these critical minerals are essential for AI, defense technologies, and electric vehicle batteries. Ionic MT