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Concerns voiced over possible rare earth elements discovery near Darby (video)

Rare Earth Mining Stevensville Meeting
Posted at 1:17 PM, Jun 08, 2023
and last updated 2023-06-09 10:44:45-04

STEVENSVILLE — People have questions for a mining company that claims to have found $1 billion worth of rare earth elements in the Bitterroot National Forest near Darby.

They packed the Stevensville library last week to hear from an expert on the potential impacts mining can have on rivers.

The company U.S. Critical Materials claims to have found one of the purest deposits of rare earth elements in North America, that could be worth $1 billion.

Rare earth is used in many of the electronics we use in our everyday lives, but also is the fundamental building block in developing batteries and magnets.
So, this is a win for everyone right? Bitterroot residents say no.

Watch the video above for the full story.