Tersa Critical Minerals uses a bio‑electric platform to extract copper, lithium, cobalt and over 20 other critical minerals from acid rock drainage, turning mine waste water into a valuable feedstock. Their microbial fuel cell achieves 90%+ recovery without traditional refining emissions, and the residual stream is neutralized via microbially induced calcite precipitation, removing 99.9% of contaminants.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Acid rock drainage (ARD) from mine waste water creates ongoing environmental liabilities, contaminating waterways and incurring perpetual treatment costs, while the growing demand for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, and cobalt outpaces existing supply chains.
Solution
Tersa’s bio‑electric platform, TersaClean, converts ARD into a source of critical minerals using proprietary microbial fuel cells (MFC) that extract metals with over 90% recovery while generating electricity. The process eliminates the emissions associated with conventional refining. After metal extraction, the residual stream undergoes microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) to neutralize acidity and remove 99.9% of remaining contaminants, delivering clean water back to the watershed. By turning a liability into a resource, Tersa provides both environmental remediation and a domestic supply of essential minerals for the energy transition.
Target Audience
Primary customers are mining operators and tailings management firms seeking to remediate ARD while monetizing critical mineral content, as well as downstream manufacturers requiring responsibly sourced copper, lithium, and cobalt.
Features
- Microbial fuel cell technology that simultaneously generates electricity and extracts copper, lithium, cobalt, and 20+ other critical minerals at 90%+ recovery rates
- Integrated microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) that neutralizes the residual stream, achieving 99.9% contaminant removal and producing clean water
- Zero‑waste processing design that eliminates the need for perpetual treatment contracts
- Scalable deployment model compatible with existing mine waste streams and tailings facilities
- Peer‑reviewed microbiology foundation with independently validated performance metrics