A bold new initiative to tackle one of the country’s most persistent environmental challenges, abandoned hardrock mines, is gaining traction thanks to the release of two major white papers from RESOLVE and partners. These resources offer practical guidance and policy tools to help “Good Samaritans” safely restore long-forgotten mine sites while unlocking valuable stores of critical minerals.

There are more than 500,000 abandoned mine features in the western U.S. alone, and many of them still contain valuable metals in the waste left behind by earlier operations. According to RESOLVE, recovering even 90% of those by-products could meet nearly all of America’s current demand for critical minerals.

“We’re talking about turning decades-old problems into 21st-century solutions,” said Stephen D'Esposito, President and CEO of Regeneration, one of the organizations leading the charge. “Our unique formula helps governments and communities clean up mine waste while responsibly sourcing the minerals we urgently need.”

New Tools for a New Era

The first report, A Guide for Good Samaritans to Help Remediate Abandoned Hardrock Mines in the U.S., identifies ten priority mine sites for potential pilot projects under the new Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024. It includes detailed site assessments and a policy framework to support responsible, community-based restoration and mineral recovery.

The second report, An Exploration of Policy Tools to Address Abandoned Mines, takes a broader look at U.S. and global policies that can support remediation. Authored by ConservAmerica and co-published by RESOLVE and Regeneration, the paper outlines innovative strategies to help conservation groups, governments, and local stakeholders collaborate effectively on site cleanups.

These white papers are funded by the Rivian Foundation, underscoring the growing interest from clean-tech companies in securing domestic sources of minerals for electric vehicles, batteries, and renewable infrastructure.

Both papers build on momentum from the bipartisan passage of the Good Samaritan Remediation Act in 2024. Sponsored by Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), the law removes long-standing legal barriers that prevented volunteers and organizations from cleaning up legacy mine waste. The act enables a seven-year pilot program that will greenlight 15 remediation projects across the country, providing a framework for expanding this work nationwide.

“This is a pragmatic, win-win approach,” said Brent Fewell, General Counsel at ConservAmerica and a former EPA official. “With legal clarity and a clear path forward, we’re seeing how Good Samaritan efforts can transform toxic sites into thriving ecosystems — and even safeguard local drinking water.”

The implications go beyond the U.S. RESOLVE and Regeneration are already collaborating with provincial governments in Canada and Australia to apply these lessons internationally.

“We want to build a pipeline of restoration projects that are financially sustainable through responsible mineral recovery,” said Dr. Carly Vynne, Chief Program Officer at RESOLVE. “It’s not just about cleaning up, it’s about creating a new model of environmental and economic restoration.”