Bauxite’s Waste to War Minerals Push | Little Rock News

Bauxite, Arkansas, is poised to become a national hub for defense innovation as the Department of Energy partners with Alcoa on a $162 million pilot program to extract critical minerals like gallium from decades-old mining waste. Using cutting-edge microwave tech, the project aims to secure a domestic supply of essential materials for radar, fighter jets, and missiles—currently reliant on China. With federal funding accelerating development and revitalizing the town’s economy, this initiative turns industrial byproducts into strategic assets, offering hope for economic renewal in a once-declining company town. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a00ca29fa09da4f4