UT Austin spinout developing proprietary platform to recover critical minerals from waste streams, initially targeting semiconductor supply chains

February 3, 2026 – Austin, TX – Amid mounting concerns about US critical mineral and rare earth element supply chains, Supra Elemental Recovery, Inc. (“Supra”) announces its launch as a spinout from the University of Texas at Austin focused on selectively recovering high-purity critical minerals from waste streams. The company is initially targeting elements such as gallium (Ga) and scandium (Sc), which are essential to semiconductors, aerospace, energy, defense, and communications.

The US is currently 100% import-dependent for both gallium and scandium. China dominates the critical minerals market through capital-intensive and environmentally hazardous refining processes. Supra has developed a non-toxic approach in which dissolved industrial waste is pumped through proprietary, reusable sponge-like cartridges that soak up and release different critical minerals in sequence. Early results indicate up to 100× greater selectivity and speed compared to incumbent methods, enabling higher purity and lower costs.

“Every year, billions of dollars’ worth of critical minerals are trapped in domestic waste streams, from industrial byproducts and mine tailings to electronic waste,” said Katie Ullmann Durham, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Supra. “By profitably recovering these elements, we can secure the inputs needed for America’s advanced manufacturing future.”

“While rare earths aren’t rare, they’re notoriously difficult and expensive to refine at high purity,” said Jordan Sessler, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Supra. “We’re making this easier and more affordable by applying advances in supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and fluid dynamics to build a versatile platform technology. By refining multiple elements from multiple sources, we believe we can deliver much-needed supply chain resilience.”  

Supra’s technology builds on federally supported research conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, one of the nation’s leading institutions in materials science and engineering. The technology is also being validated for other elements, including cobalt, lithium, and lanthanides used in batteries, magnets, and other common electronics.

“Supra exemplifies how world-class university research can be translated into commercially scalable solutions that advance US industrial leadership,” said Mark Arnold, associate vice president, Discovery to Impact, and managing director, Longhorn Ventures at The University of Texas at Austin. “This work underscores UT Austin’s commitment to move groundbreaking discoveries into the market to have lasting impact on the world.”

In conjunction with its launch, Supra announced the close of an oversubscribed $2 million pre-seed round, led by Crucible Capital, with participation from the UT Seed Fund, Climate Capital, Portmanteau Ventures, and Pew Protection Trust. The funding will support continued technology development and preparation for commercial pilots, expected in 2026.

“The key to restoring America’s rare earth leadership is building refining capacity, the bottleneck standing between domestic raw resources and secure supply,” said Meltem Demirors, Founder and General Partner at Crucible Capital. “Supra is building this exact capability with a proprietary new approach. We’re proud to back a team that is positioned to reshape how critical materials are produced in the United States.”

Companies interested in supplying feedstock, purchasing critical minerals, or exploring partnerships can learn more at www.getsupra.com. 

About Supra Elemental Recovery Supra Elemental Recovery, Inc. is a US-based technology company building the future of critical minerals recovery and refining. Its modular, high-selectivity, and non-toxic systems turn overlooked U.S. waste streams into secure domestic supply of high-value elements. Learn more at www.getsupra.com.

Media Contact:

Ariel Marantz
supra@antennagroup.com

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