Open-source tech that recovers critical minerals from mine waste. One machine away from a continuous pilot.
SEM TECH (Salt Electro Mining Technology) is an open-source electrochemical mining and refining system. It recovers critical minerals, precious metals, and rare earth elements from ores, mine waste, slags, and e-waste using a low-cost ion exchange membrane process that regenerates its own acids and oxidizers on site. The patent and technology are being released under a public-domain-style license so anyone can use, build, and improve it.
What the $30,000 goal covers
The original $20,000 goal funds the acid-resistant continuous vacuum filtration drum plus fittings, seals, and installation. That goal is nearly complete thanks to 43 donors. Thank you.
The remaining $10,000 funds the analytical equipment needed to prove what the system recovers: a used ICP-OES spectrometer and the supporting lab gear (UV-Vis spectrophotometer, analytical balance, certified element standards). Right now important results must be sent out for third-party testing, which is slow and expensive. In-house analysis means faster development and credible recovery data for grants, partners, and public demonstrations.
Why the drum matters
Small SEM TECH units already work. The chemistry leaches and concentrates valuable metals from real ore and mine waste. The bottleneck is material handling: batch testing means loading, leaching, filtering, washing, and unloading by hand. The continuous vacuum filtration drum separates wet solids from leaching solution continuously, so the system can run at ton-per-day pilot scale instead of stopping after every batch.
What has already been done
Years of hands-on development: low-cost ion exchange membrane production, working electrolysis cells, ore and mine waste processing tests, recovery of mixed-metal concentrates, acid and oxidizer regeneration, a dedicated testing lab, and patent work dedicated to open public use.
See it yourself:
Videos: youtube.com/@Rowow
Open-source membrane build: github.com/Rowow1/Open-sourced-off-the-shelf-ion-exchange-membrane
Website: rowow.net
Why this matters
The US urgently needs better ways to recover critical minerals. Valuable elements sit in low-grade ores, tailings, slags, and e-waste that are currently ignored or exported. Conventional refining needs large centralized plants and expensive reagents. SEM TECH is a modular alternative that regenerates its process chemicals and reduces waste. The long-term vision: turn mine waste into domestic critical mineral resources using open-source technology.
How your donation helps
$100 helps buy materials, chemicals, and consumables needed to test new membrane recipes, leaching methods, electrode designs, and feedstocks.
$1,000 helps buy or fund equipment, tools, pumps, sensors, lab hardware, and fabrication parts needed to expand SEM TECH's capabilities and develop new processes.
$5,000 helps fund development of new systems and units, such as gas scrubbers, improved electrolysis cells, filtration upgrades, safety systems, and continuous processing equipment.
If you cannot donate, sharing this fundraiser with people in mining, metallurgy, chemistry, e-waste recycling, or open-source hardware helps tremendously.
Next milestone
With the drum installed and analysis in-house, the plan is a fully documented continuous demonstration on real feedstocks: leaching, solid-liquid separation, solution recycling, metal recovery, and public release of the results.
Thank you for supporting open-source critical mineral recovery.