Rare earth metals extraction from mining tailings at commercial scale
Phoenix Tailings extracts rare earth metals and alloys directly from mining tailings — a hard-materials play built on industrial automation (Allen-Bradley PLC stack, Ignition HMI, ICP-OES analytical chemistry). The hiring profile skews heavily toward engineering (41 roles) across junior-to-senior levels, paired with active scaling projects in solvent extraction and pilot-to-commercial floor optimization. Pain points cluster around process efficiency and manufacturing scale, indicating a company transitioning from proof-of-concept (shipping since 2023) to repeatability.
Notable leadership hires: Chief People Officer, Head Geologist, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer
Phoenix Tailings recovers rare earth metals and specialty alloys from mining tailings, turning waste streams into feedstock for defense, aerospace, EV, and renewable energy sectors. Founded in 2019, the company has been commercially shipping rare earth products since 2023. Operating from Woburn, Massachusetts, with 51–200 employees, the organization is structured primarily around engineering and manufacturing operations — designing and optimizing extraction and refining processes, scaling solvent extraction methods, and deploying production facilities. The stack reflects heavy industrial engineering: PLC control (Allen-Bradley ControlLogix, CompactLogix), real-time monitoring (Ignition), process simulation (Aspen Plus, MATLAB), and CAD/design tools (SolidWorks, AutoCAD Electrical). Finance, sales, and government relations teams are smaller but present.
Industrial process control (Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix, Ignition HMI, EtherNet/IP, Modbus, OPC UA), chemical analysis (ICP-OES), simulation (Aspen Plus, MATLAB), and CAD design (SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD Electrical, EPLAN).
Scaling solvent extraction processes, pilot-to-commercial production floor optimization, real-time HMI development for metals processing, and early-stage metallization R&D. Also exploring defense, automotive, and industrial sector applications.
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