This start-up recovers metals from waste through ‘molecular recognition’

A start-up called ChemFinity is pioneering a new approach to sourcing critical minerals. Using a technique known as molecular recognition, the company recovers valuable metals from waste using specially engineered nano-sponges.

These nano-sponges act as chemical binders that selectively attach to metals dissolved in waste streams. The system can recover up to 99 percent of valuable metals with no detectable impurities, across materials ranging from e-waste to engine parts and mining tailings.

ChemFinity’s process can extract over 20 different minerals at a third of the cost of traditional mining. It also emits up to 100 times less carbon. This offers a low-impact alternative at a time when mining is responsible for up to 7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

While the energy transition depends on rare earths, platinum, and other metals, just 22 percent of e-waste is currently recycled. ChemFinity aims to turn waste into a resource, preventing valuable materials from ending up in landfill.

As a winner of UpLink’s Sustainable Mining Challenge, ChemFinity is helping accelerate the shift toward circular, low-emissions mineral sourcing. Their innovation supports the growing demand for critical materials without adding to the environmental burden.

Watch the video to see how molecular recognition could transform the future of mining.