America's critical mineral shortage problem could be solved if new extraction method works

Electronic waste could provide needed minerals.
(Photo by Nathan Cima, Unsplash)

Despite rich geological stores and landfills piled with used tech equipment, the U.S. doesn't have the domestic supply of critical minerals it needs to build tech equipment. The country has lacked an economically viable way to "extract metals like copper, silver and rare-earth elements from the country’s abundant ores and heaps of old electronics," reports Ryan Dezember of The Wall Street Journal. But a new metallurgy company with innovative scientists says it has found a solution.

The company, Valor, is working "to commercialize a breakthrough in metallurgy called electrochemical liquid-liquid extraction," Dezember explains. According to scientists, the new process "can separate metals and rare earths from electronic waste and mined ores without the massive amounts of energy and chemicals" used by smelting or other refining methods.

The cutting-edge science starts with molecular magnets, called ligands, that scientists make to bind and release specific elements. Dezember explains. "To pluck the silver from a slurry of ground-up computer chips, the ligand made to bind to the precious metal is activated with a current of electricity and then turned off to release the silver for reuse."

Critical and rare-earth minerals are essential for producing the most advanced technologies, including defense systems, magnets, semiconductors, medical equipment and consumer electronics; however, China has always dominated the global sector. Unleashing a new way for the U.S. to harness its rare earth stores could change that dynamic.

For now, Valor will open its first plant in Houston, Texas. The company plans to "eventually build refineries of various sizes across the country, near lithium brine fields in Arkansas, Arizona’s copper mines and big cities where loads of recycled cellphones and computers can be gathered."

Opinion: America isn't broken. It's a country where 'the vast majority quietly do the right thing every single day.'

Most Americans are too busy living daily life to hate
on other Americans. (Photo by Dyana Wing So, Unsplash)

TV commentary, social media or major news websites can leave readers wondering where our country went wrong and why Americans hate each other so much. But is that honestly how average Americans see their lives and each other?

Mike Allen doesn't think so. In his opinion for Axios, Allen declares that the blasts of newsy angst and misanthropic disgust are a "ubiquitous, emphatic, verifiable lie. . . . Most Americans are too busy for social media, too normal for politics, too rational to tweet."

The most American "Super Majority" isn't online 24/7 looking for ways to throw tomatoes at other busy Americans, Allen insists. They may be at their desks grinding it out, their kids' sporting events, attending a book club or helping their neighbor with lawn care, but they are not working on hating others.

"Most Americans are patriotic, hardworking, neighbor-helping, America-loving, money-giving people who don't pop off on social media or plot for power," Allen writes. "It's the terminally online news junkies who are detached from the actual reality."

Allen writes, "Most people agree on most things, most of the time. And the data validates this, time and time again. . . . The system feels broken. The people are not."

Instead of allowing any other people to tell you who Americans are, look around you. Allen writes, "In a given year, you see hundreds of people frequently enough to appraise their character. Are they good people? Would they help shovel after a snowstorm or lift groceries for an aging neighbor? . . .We bet the answer is a resounding yes. This is America's Super Majority."

In 2024, Americans "gave $592.5 billion to charity — a record, with individuals accounting for two-thirds of it," Allen adds. "This isn't a broken nation. This is a generous one, where the vast majority quietly do the right thing every single day."

Next time you consider how you feel about your country and "your screen tells you America is broken, close it," Allen writes. "Walk outside. Talk to your neighbor. Coach the team. Go to the town meeting. That's the real America — and it's a hell of a lot better than the one being manufactured for clicks, clout and cash."

Silicone wristbands can monitor exposure to 'forever chemicals' over time

Silicone wristbands could help scientists monitor for 
chemicals. (Venier Lab photo via The Conversation CC)

Silicone wristbands are a new noninvasive method to measure Americans’ exposure to "forever chemicals", or PFAS, reports Yaw Edu Essandoh for The Conversation.

These synthetic chemicals, often found in water systems, soils and consumer products, have been a growing public concern and become more prevalent in everyday environments, Essandoh explains.

Traditional monitoring tools for measuring their exposure have only used samples from a single point in time and can be invasive, like drawing someone’s blood or testing soil or water from one location on one day, reports Essandoh. However, Essandoh found from his environmental chemistry research that people or animals living in the same environment “showed very different chemical profiles.”

Since people are exposed continuously throughout the day, new noninvasive tools are becoming more popular to monitor exposure over a period of time, Essandoh reports. One such tool is the silicone wristbands, made of silicone polymer, which “absorb chemicals from the surrounding environment over time, similar to how skin or fur interacts with air, dust and surfaces." Researchers can then extract these compounds from the wristband and examine the pattern of exposure, once the wristband is worn for multiple days or weeks.

Other noninvasive methods scientists have started using to track exposure include “passive air samplers placed in homes or small wearable devices,” explains Essandoh. These types of devices can also be used for animals and wildlife, instead of drawing their blood, to better understand how PFAS affect their ecosystems and to identify emerging risks sooner.

Noninvasive monitoring tools aren’t meant to eliminate traditional monitoring, Essandoh explains, but to provide additional context to how exposure moves through time and space and to entice more volunteers to participate in studies. “They offer ways to better understand cumulative exposure, identify overlooked pathways and inform environmental health and conservation decisions.”

Independent primary care doctors see banding together as one way to remain solvent and keep their autonomy

Valley Medical Group joined an IPA to help regain its
financial footing. (New England Public Media photo)

As the number of primary care doctors in the U.S. continues to decrease, the number of independent primary care practices has also fallen. A practice in the Connecticut River Valley, Valley Medical Group, has sought to maintain its independence while boosting its bottom line by joining with other independent primary physicians, reports Karen Brown of New England Public Media.

Founded during the 1990s, Valley Medical Group has become one of the "largest independent practices in western Massachusetts," Brown writes. But the practice's patient volume and focus on quality family medical care haven't shielded it from the financial pitfalls of the American insurance payment system, which rewards specialists and physicians who perform procedures over primary care.

Valley Medical Group owners found themselves stuck in insurance contracts that didn't pay well or accurately. "In January, the practice laid off 40 employees — 10% of its 400-person staff — mostly in support positions," Brown writes. "Thousands of primary care practices, a key gateway to the medical system, are fighting to remain financially viable — and independent."

VMG doctors also wanted to avoid selling their practice to a hospital, which would likely take away some of their clinical autonomy. Instead, the group opted to join an Independent Physician Association. Brown explains, "Like a union, an IPA combines individual primary care offices, giving them power in numbers when negotiating contracts with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies."

While not all IPAs are equal -- some are owned by hospitals or private equity funds -- most help level the financial playing field for smaller practices. According to Brown, when independent practices band together, they can accept insurance contracts that pay them a per-patient allotment rather than billing for each visit or procedure.

Chris Kryder, CEO of Arches Medical IPA in Cambridge, Massachusetts, told Brown, "If we keep people out of the ER, keep them out of unnecessary hospitalizations, we save money for the system. . . And we create more income for the primary care providers, which is dreadfully needed."

Unhappy with the expense of spraying crops with a rig, an N.C. farmer turned to drones. Now he builds them.

Drones can spray hundreds of acres without damaging
crops. (Revolution Drones photo via Farm Journal)

As farmers search for every penny in savings, using drones to spray crops is a viable way for them to increase yields, reduce machinery wear and tear, and save on fuel costs, reports Chris Bennett of Farm Journal.

North Carolina farmer Russell Hedrick has been using drone-spraying since 2021. He started experimenting with drones to lessen the damage a rig does to his crops, and the cost of running the rig does to his budget. He now operates his own drone company, Revolution Drones, that produces drones especially built for American farmers.

"If a farmer with 6,000 acres of soybeans runs a ground rig just twice, and loses 1.5 bushels per acre in damage, the cost is $90,000," Hedrick told Bennett. If that same farmer invests in drone spraying 750 acres a day at a cost of roughly $51,000, it'll take eight days to spray the crop and prevent $90,000 in crop damage.

Hedrick explained, "That farmer paid for his drone in eight days and still had $39,000 left in savings. . . .This is a game-changer like nothing else out there, and its impact is only just starting to be realized."

Russell Hedrick is a North Carolina farmer and innovator.
(Courtesy photo via Farm Journal)

Hedrick didn't set out to build his own drones, but he kept running into the same issue -- all the drones he used were built in China and built for the way Chinese farmers work their land. He told Bennett, "They don’t know how we farm in America, and don’t understand the vastness of our fields and the necessity to cover hundreds or thousands of acres in (a) day in a timely manner."

After considering his options, Hedrick decided to build his own drones. Bennett writes, "Farm innovator to the core, Hedrick already had access to software production through co-ownership of Soil Regen. He partnered with Gteex Drones in Brazil, another farmer-led business."

"Drone utilization in agriculture is about to go nuclear, far beyond present use, Hedrick insists. Why? Simple economics," Bennett reports. "Agriculture, Hedrick believes, is at the get-go of historic technology change, echoing the breakthroughs of yesteryear, whether steel plow or mechanization."

Flora & Fauna: The grizzly of 2026 awakens; springtime woodpeckers; America dominates pistachio market; crime solving with moss; eagle research helps human PFAS study

The first grizzly bear of 2026 spotted in Yellowstone National Park left its den in search of lunch.                                     (Photo by Jim Peaco, National Park Service)        

Yellowstone Park researchers know winter is on the way out when they see a grizzly bear out of its den and feasting on lunch after its long months of hibernation. "Scientists spotted the first grizzly bear of 2026 earlier this week at Yellowstone National Park, marking the beginning of the end of hibernation season for the massive creatures," reports Emily Mae Czachor of CBS News. "The grizzly observed this year was seen in the backcountry, scavenging on the carcass of a bull bison, another species found in the park." 

When spring starts its seasonal orchestra, the percussion section begins with the staccato drums of male woodpeckers trying to out "hammer" each other to win over female woodpeckers. "The emphatic drumming, meant to attract mates and drive off rival males, is by no means the only way woodpeckers are at the pulse of things," writes Margaret Roach of The New York Times. Abandoned woodpecker nests are repurposed into homes by "wood ducks, owls, bluebirds, tree swallows, squirrels, martens, bats and raccoons" to name a few. Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers is a new book by author and wildlife photographer Paul Bannick that gives rich insight into how humans can help nature's amazing builders.

Chestnut trees that once filled American forests until an airborne blight and root rot pushed them to the brink of extinction might once again compete for space in forests from Maine to Mississippi. "A new study in the journal Science provides hope for its revitalization, finding that the genetic testing of individual trees can reveal which are most likely to resist disease and grow tall, thus shortening how long it takes to plant the next, more robust, generation," reports Michael Phillis of The Associated Press. "A smaller gap between generations means a faster path to lots of disease-resistant trees. . . . The authors hope that can occur in the coming decades."

U.S. pistachio production hit a record 1.57 
billion pounds last year. (USDA ARS photo)

They're cracked, green and more than a little nutty. Meet the American pistachio. It's an alternate-bearing crop that's gaining international popularity, especially when mixed with chocolate. "The U.S. pistachio industry appears to be attracting more demand as its supply could soon reach 2 billion pounds," reports Todd Fitchette of Western Farm Press. "The popularity of a chocolate bar created in Dubai with crushed pistachios in it has helped bolster global pistachio demand in other products. . . .The U.S. currently controls the world’s pistachio market share with about 63% of the global supply."

Moss can help 'track a suspect's movements' through
woods and water edges. (Photo by N. Macc, Unsplash) 

In some hard-to-crack crime cases, there's often a trail that leads to a remote location where a body is disposed of, leaving nearby flora as the only witness. And while plants can't talk, many a detective knows that foliage can still tell part of the story. More recently, forensic botanists are analyzing moss for clues. "Particles from the dense, green mats can easily attach to a suspect’s shoes or clothing, grow on human remains and survive in adverse conditions," reports Samantha Drake of The New York Times. Moss samples can help detectives determine postmortem timelines, "track a suspect’s movements and establish key links to help solve crimes including homicides, missing person cases and cemetery desecrations."

Research efforts in Wisconsin who are focused on bald eagle health are helping scientists determine PFAS levels in human populations across the state. "Dubbed 'forever chemicals,' PFAS don’t break down easily and are found in common household products," Sea Grant for the University of Wisconsin reports. "They’re harmful to human health and have been found in high concentrations in drinking water in communities across Wisconsin. The project's emerging contaminants specialist, Gavin Dehnert, said eagles are what’s known as a 'sentinel species,' organisms that can alert humans to environmental toxins. Due to their diet, bald eagles are particularly good indicators of how much PFAS are in the environment."

As energy and fertilizer prices climb, American farmers feel the impact of the county's conflict with Iran

Synthetic urea-based fertilizers are commonly used to provide nitrogen to U.S. crops. American farmers
worry that an extended war with Iran could make supplies scant. (Global Trade Tracker graph)

Whether it's citrus crops in Florida, corn in the American heartland or wheat grown in the Dakotas, U.S. farms, which are thousands of miles from the Straits of Hormuz, are already feeling strained by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The length and intensity of the conflict will determine how deeply American farms and the businesses and consumers that rely on them will be affected. 

"Farmers are now feeling the impact in Iran with not only higher fertilizer prices, but the concern that farmers may not even be able to find enough fertilizer for spring," reports Tyne Morgan of Farm Journal. "As the situation unfolded over the past week, analysts say the reaction across commodity markets illustrated just how closely agriculture is tied to global energy and political dynamics."

The war has already led some U.S. farmers to shift the amount of corn they plan to grow. "Corn is far more fertilizer-intensive than soybeans, particularly when it comes to nitrogen," Morgan explains. "When fertilizer prices rise sharply, the relative profitability of soybeans often improves quickly." Most U.S. farmers use synthetic urea fertilizer or anhydrous ammonia to provide their crops with sufficient nitrogen for high-yield, healthy growth.

Beyond corn, wheat crop farmers generally use hefty amounts of urea-based fertilizer, so those farmers may change how many acres of spring wheat they decide to plant this April. Chip Nellinger, founder of Blue Reef Agri-Marketing, told Farm Journal, "There’s a lot of nitrogen that needs applied on U.S. wheat acres here over the coming three or four months ahead of us.”

U.S. farmers want to see the situation with Iran de-escalate and shipping lanes reopen. Morgan reports, "Much of the global focus right now remains on reopening critical energy shipping lanes and restoring stability to oil markets. . . . If that happens quickly, the agricultural ripple effects may prove temporary."

Rural voting posts bigger percentage than urban or metro in Texas primaries

Graph by The Daily Yonder, from New York Times data

Texas election primaries last week drew a big turnout, with a surprising number of rural voters showing up at the polls. "Texas primary voters turned out in striking numbers this week, with early voting fueling a surge that dominated state headlines," reports Madeline de Figueiredo of The Daily Yonder. "Compared to their urban and suburban counterparts, a greater share of rural voters cast their ballots in the Texas primaries this year."

Both parties had dramatic challenges for seats that will be highly competitive in the November elections. De Figueiredo writes, "Major outlets reported record-breaking Democratic participation in a closely-watched Senate showdown between U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett and State Representative James Talarico."

Republican voters had a hard time choosing between U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Since neither Cornyn nor Paxton received a majority, their contest moves to a runoff in May.

Amid the surge in voter engagement, rural counties led the charge. "About 26% of registered rural voters showed up to the polls on Tuesday, the highest turnout rate among all county types," the Yonder reports. "The majority of votes were cast in the Democratic primary, the first time this has occurred since the 2020 presidential primary."

The number of ballots cast across the Lone Star State in the primaries increased "47% compared to the last midterm elections in 2022," de Figueiredo writes.

Although suburban and urban voters posted the largest gains in voter turnout, rural counties still "posted the highest turnout percentage among all county types," the Yonder reports.

Energized voting bases and increased population were both cited as reasons for the increase in voter turnout.

JBS beef meatpackers in Colorado plan strike over pay and company charges for protective equipment

JBS is the number one beef producer in the U.S.
(JBS photo)

American consumers are paying at or near record prices for beef, while nearly 3,800 workers at a JBS beef meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado, say little of the extra cash Americans are shelling out is going into their wallets, and they're planning to go on strike next week, reports Tom Polansek of Reuters.

The planned strike ‌"pits a workforce made up largely of immigrants against the world's largest meat company, and it has already driven ranchers to deliver cattle to alternate facilities," Polansek explains. "Meatpackers, including JBS, benefit from climbing prices but also must pay ​record costs to buy cattle to slaughter."

Despite livestock costs, JBS is still posting significant profits. Polansek notes, "JBS in November reported third-quarter profit of $581 million, ⁠down from $693 million a year earlier.

Kim Cordova, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union that represents workers in Greeley, told Reuters, "While customers are paying more than they ever have, none ​of that is trickling down to the frontline worker that's actually doing all the heavy work."

Cordova said JBS fails to adhere to labor laws and has "not negotiated fairly on a new contract over the past eight months," Polansek reports. She told Reuters that workers want a wage that helps them keep up with inflation, and they "want the company to ​stop charging them for replacing protective equipment they wear to do their jobs safely."

For now, JBS has denied Cordova's claims and is standing by its contract offer. JBS told Polansek, "It is strong, fair, and consistent with the historic national contract reached in 2025."

Meanwhile, cattle feeders are moving where they plan to sell their livestock. One feeder told Polansek, "We've ​got way more kill space than finished cattle ready ​to slaughter."

Rural hospitals will be hurt the most from Minnesota Medicaid cuts

Government action, such as cuts to Medicaid in Minnesota, has an “outsized impact” on rural residents, Sarah Melotte reports for the Daily Yonder.

The Trump administration recently announced its intent to withhold $259 million from Minnesota’s Medicaid reimbursements due to fraud concerns. CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said Medicaid funds in Minnesota were going to "bogus" centers for autistic children and a behavioral health organization that had bills showing doctors working 24 hours a day for more than 450 days.

Percentage of hospital revenue coming from low-income health insurance programs. (Map by Sarah Melotte, Daily Yonder, data from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, Click to enlarge)

Rural hospitals are disproportionately affected by these cuts. Melotte explains that rural hospitals are more likely to operate with negative profit margins than urban hospitals, and 39 of Minnesota’s 98 rural hospitals have negative operating margins. This means the rate of uncompensated care will increase even more in these rural hospitals.

Some of these hospitals are able to stay open using non-operating revenue, such as taxes or philanthropy, but this isn’t the case for all of them, reports Melotte. More than 100 rural hospitals throughout the U.S. have had to close in the last decade, causing rural residents to have to travel farther to access the care that they need.

One nonprofit in Minnesota that houses people with disabilities reported to Minnesota Public Radio that “any cuts to Medicaid funding will directly result in reduced services.”

Medicaid now accounts for around 19% of discharges in rural hospitals nationwide, Melotte writes. “In communities where hospitals operate on thin margins, even small cuts in federal spending can destabilize entire systems of care.”

Food manufacturers tell Trump and Republican lawmakers to choose sides

NAM's report works to explain the food industry's many moving
parts. (National Association of Manufacturers graphic)

After months of trying to avoid direct conflict with  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or drawing ire from President Donald Trump, the food industry decided it's done dodging the battle.

"America’s food-makers have a message for Trump and Republican lawmakers: You must choose between Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda and ours," reports Amanda Chu of Politico. At its core, Kennedy's "Make American Health Again" plan includes more regulation, and manufacturers say that will increase costs, potentially limit food supplies or consumer access to certain foods.

To drive their message home, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) released a video and report titled Manufacturers Feed America, which "warns the food industry is 'under increasing strain,'" Chu writes. The video explains that American consumers won't benefit from a state-by-state "patchwork" of rules that don't account for food production dynamics and challenges. The report points out that regulation will inevitably increase food prices.

NAM wants national uniform standards along with "a seat at the table on policies stemming from Kennedy’s MAHA agenda," Chu adds. NAM CEO Jay Timmons called Kennedy's policies and tactics "a business killer." Timmons maintains that Kennedy's attacks on U.S. manufacturers don't align with Trump's promise to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing. 

Meanwhile, Kennedy has given food-maker concerns "little deference," Chu adds. "He said he thinks the deference policymakers have shown them in the past was a byproduct of the Washington swamp."

The timing of NAM's publicly shared report and video reflects the industry's awareness of "Republican vulnerabilities on the economy in an effort to push their agenda ahead of the November midterm elections," Chu writes. Midterm outcomes will "shape Trump’s influence for the remainder of his term."

Whatever the agenda, American consumers are weary of increasing food costs. Chu reports, "November’s Politico Poll with Public First found Americans across demographics rank cost of living as the nation’s top problem, with 45% naming grocery prices as their 'most challenging' expense, surpassing housing and health care costs."

Newly formed nonprofit can help with heath care copays, prescription payments and heath insurance denials

Last year the two companies awarded $200k to patients who
needed financial health care help. (Photo by J. Trierweiler)

Uninsured Americans or those with health insurance coverage who are facing sky-high bills or insurance denials might be able to turn to a newly merged nonprofit for assistance.

The Patient Advocate Foundation and the Patient Access Network Foundation joined together and are now operating as the Patient Advocate Foundation. Peter Loftus of The Wall Street Journal reports, "The merger created a nonprofit with more than $800 million in assets to help patients pay for drug copays and appeal health-plan coverage denials."

For many Americans dealing with expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, job loss or employment that doesn't offer health care benefits, the merger offers a safety net. Loftus writes, "The nonprofits said the combination will allow them to better serve low- and middle-income patients facing rising healthcare costs, including many who have lost insurance coverage."

Patient Advocate Foundation Chief Executive Alan Balch told the Journal, "More people are struggling to pay for care and basic needs than ever before, and the safety net’s being stretched thinner and thinner."

Before the merger, the two nonprofits focused on different health care challenges faced by many Americans. The PAN Foundation helped patients "defray co-pays and other out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs," Loftus explains. The Patient Advocate Foundation assisted patients who needed to file appeals for health care insurance denials.

In 2025, the two companies made "$273 million in direct payments to patients," Loftus adds. "They awarded financial assistance to nearly 200,000 people during that period."

As one company, the Patient Advocate Foundation will need patients to complete only one application to access all its services.