Alta debuts with $5.1 million Seed to transform mineral separation using advanced biochemistry

Advanced biochemistry is spearheading a shift in the mining industry, highlighted by the debut of Alta Resource Technologies. Supported by a $5.1 million seed round co-led by DCVC, Alta aims to transform mineral separation, focusing initially on rare earth elements, through the use of computationally optimized proteins. This technology is based on research licensed from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and has also received near $1 million from DARPA and other government agencies. Alta's technology promises to supply high-purity rare earths from low-grade sources at a scale not seen before, while reducing environmental impact—a prospect compared to the technological impacts of hydraulic fracturing on the oil and gas industry. DCVC's involvement with Alta is indicative of a broader trend towards innovation in the mining sector, with increased investment in firms like Tidal Metals, which is developing ways to extract magnesium from seawater. This shift comes amid rising global demand for materials crucial to electronics, transportation, and energy, and a dire need to address environmental concerns in mining, especially in light of China's resource control.