DISA Technologies Testifies on Critical Mineral Recovery
A domestic tech firm told Congress that recycling abandoned uranium mine waste can secure America’s critical mineral supply chain while cleaning up thousands of contaminated sites. The technology offers a dual solution to environmental hazards and foreign mineral reliance.
Key Highlights
- DISA Technologies testified before a House subcommittee regarding a patented method to clean up abandoned uranium mine waste.
- The system removes up to 98% of uranium contamination and reduces waste volume by up to 83%.
- Implementing this technology costs 60% to 70% less than traditional offsite waste hauling methods.
- The United States currently depends on imports for more than 97% of its uranium supply.
Greyson Buckingham, the top executive and co-founder of DISA Technologies, Inc., presented testimony yesterday to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Speaking before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Environment, Buckingham addressed a hearing focused on legislative efforts to bolster the recovery and recycling of domestic critical minerals. He stated that advanced platforms, such as his firm’s proprietary HPSA™ technology, can process waste from abandoned uranium mines while simultaneously extracting essential minerals at a fraction of the cost required by traditional remediation plans.
The executive emphasized that policymakers do not need to choose between environmental restoration and supply chain security. He noted that an appropriate regulatory framework allows the nation to achieve both goals, protecting public health and strengthening the domestic mineral inventory while reducing expenditures for taxpayers.
DISA currently holds the solitary license granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the remediation and recycling of abandoned uranium mine waste. An EPA-sponsored treatability study previously validated the process, confirming a reduction of more than 90% in uranium and radium-226 levels. The Idaho National Laboratory independently verified those metrics, leading to a unanimous approval vote by NRC commissioners following a finding of no significant environmental impact. The operational data shows the system eliminates up to 98% of uranium contaminants, shrinks total waste volume by up to 83%, and slashes expenses by 60% to 70% compared to standard excavation and transport to distant disposal facilities.
Buckingham warned lawmakers about the geopolitical risks of the current supply chain. He stated that failing to produce critical minerals and nuclear fuel domestically forces the nation to source materials from foreign entities, including adversarial nations like Russia and China, framing the issue as a direct vulnerability to national security.
The domestic energy sector remains highly vulnerable, as the country imports more than 97% of its required uranium. Regulatory estimates from the EPA indicate that up to 15,000 abandoned uranium mine locations exist across the western United States, where hazardous waste has remained exposed on the surface for more than 50 years. Deploying specialized processing technology at these sites could yield significant volumes of uranium while restoring contaminated ecosystems. This dual-benefit approach to reducing reliance on foreign supply chains garnered bipartisan support from committee members during the Wednesday session.
About DISA Technologies
The veteran-led corporate entity focuses on advanced mineral liberation and was established in 2018 with corporate offices located in Casper, Wyoming. The business has secured more than $80 million in private investment capital from a prominent roster of backers, including Constellation Energy, BHP, Evok Innovations, Valor Equity Partners, Galvanize, and Halliburton Labs. The firm maintains its unique position as the sole operator holding an active NRC license to remediate and repurpose legacy uranium mine waste.
Future Outlook
As geopolitical tensions intensify, the push to commercialize domestic mineral recycling technologies is expected to accelerate. The bipartisan interest shown in congressional hearings suggests that future federal funding and streamlined permitting pathways may favor dual-benefit remediation projects. Over the next decade, deploying automated processing units directly to legacy mining districts could transform hazardous environmental liabilities into strategic strategic assets, altering the economics of superfund cleanups across the American West.
FAQs
What is HPSA™ technology?
HPSA™ technology is a patented mineral liberation and remediation process developed by DISA Technologies. It separates hazardous contaminants from legacy mine waste, allowing operators to isolate critical minerals like uranium while drastically reducing the volume of waste that requires specialized disposal.
How much uranium does the United States import?
The United States currently imports more than 97% of the uranium it requires for nuclear fuel and industrial applications. This high level of reliance on external nations, including Russia and China, has prompted congressional leaders to seek domestic supply alternatives.
How many abandoned uranium mine sites exist in the U.S.?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are up to 15,000 sites associated with abandoned uranium mine waste. Most of these locations are distributed across the western United States, where contaminated material has remained untreated on the surface for over half a century.
How much does this recycling technology reduce cleanup costs?
The technology reduces total remediation costs by 60% to 70% compared to conventional cleanup methods. Traditional methods rely on physically hauling all contaminated soil and material to distant, specialized offsite disposal facilities, which incurs heavy transportation and storage fees.
