How a New Jersey startup found an electrifying way to slash copper costs

Still Bright, a New Jersey startup founded in 2022, has developed an innovative and environmentally friendly method to extract copper more efficiently from existing ores and tailings. With global copper demand set to surge due to the transition away from fossil fuels, traditional mining faces challenges such as limited easily accessible ores and the need for numerous new mines. Still Bright’s technology uses a vanadium-based solution to soak copper-containing ores, extracting nearly all the copper without the pre-processing losses typical in conventional methods. The solution is regenerated electrically, inspired by vanadium flow battery technology, enabling a cleaner process that avoids the harmful pollution associated with burning unwanted ore components. The startup’s modular system is compact and cost-effective, with equipment 70% to 90% cheaper than traditional pyrometallurgical refining gear, and processes copper rapidly—within minutes to an hour. Although currently operating at pilot scale producing two tons annually, Still Bright plans to build a demonstration unit by 2027 or 2028 capable of producing