Startup Series Episode 25: Phoenix Tailings
Rethinking mining waste, to drive efficiency and sustainability.
If you’d prefer to listen, you can find the audio to this episode here!
Phoenix Tailings is a metals and mining company that leverages untapped value within mining and refining waste, economically and sustainably. Through modular systems, Phoenix Tailings employs three re-mining platforms to process the tailings: Hydrometallurgy, which separates the metals through aqueous solutions, Solvometallurgy, which separates the metals through non-aqueous solutions, and Electrometallurgy, which separates metals through electrical chemistry. Their solutions minimize waste, reduce red mud, and lower extraction costs while producing high-value metals through a zero-emissions process. Phoenix Tailings is working to rethink and eliminate mining waste while providing incremental revenue to the mines.
In this episode, Co-Founder and CEO, Nick Myers, explains how Phoenix Tailings got started, why mining tailings are such a problem, how they have been dealt with to date, and the benefits of the Phoenix Tailings approach. We also talk about the company’s traction to-date, key priorities, and what is coming next.
Given the electrification that is to come and the increasing demand for precious metals, this is a great episode to learn more about how to mine these metals in a more sustainable and efficient way.
Enjoy the show!
Synopsis:
Mission: To create a zero-waste world, bringing the metals industry into a new era of sustainability.
Team: Nick Myers (Co-Founder & CEO), Tomás Villalón Jr (Co-Founder & CTO), Michelle Chao (Co-Founder & COO), Anthony Balladon (Co-Founder & VP of Partnerships)
Product: A modular metals production platform to harvest sustainable metals from mining waste.
Website: Phoenix Tailings; LinkedIn
Traction: Working with one of the top metals companies in the world. Backed by Techstars Boston in January 2020 and raised a Seed round led by Accomplice in August 2020.
Jobs: Research Scientist, R&D Engineer, Materials Engineer, Engineering Co-Op (careers page)