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Overview
Still Bright develops a hydrometallurgical RACER process that uses a vanadium-based solution to leach copper from sulfide ore at ambient conditions. The copper is recovered, and the vanadium solution is regenerated with electricity for reuse, enabling electrometallurgy. It can extract up to 99% of copper, with modular systems that cost 70–90% less in capital and can run on renewable energy, cutting emissions versus traditional smelting. The goal is to scale from a two-ton-per-year pilot to a 500-ton-per-year demonstration by 2028 and ultimately 10,000 tons per year to localize copper production and strengthen the domestic supply chain.
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Simplify's take
What believers are saying
- June 2026 NEST headquarters gives 15,000 square feet for pilot manufacturing.
- July 2025 seed financing from BEV and Material Impact funds scale-up.
- August 2026 DOE selection validates RACER for mine-site decarbonization and domestic copper supply.
What critics are saying
- Still Bright still runs a two-ton-per-year pilot, far from its 2028 demonstration target.
- Pinto Valley remains planned, so Capstone validation and commercial proof are unfinished.
- If scale-up slips past 2028, follow-on capital dries up and the company stalls.
What makes Still Bright unique
- RACER leaches copper at ambient temperature and pressure, unlike energy-hungry smelters.
- Its vanadium loop regenerates electrochemically, enabling closed-loop reuse and lower emissions.
- Modular systems target mines and tailings, not just giant centralized refineries.
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