Lithium
(
Li
)
The metal behind every battery
Top Producer
Australia
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
We are the by‑product critical metal company of America
Kunin is America’s only vertically integrated ion-exchange technology company
The United States was the leader in critical mineral production. In fact, we invested, commercialized, and industrialized the technologies used today.
But then mining operations went offshore.
Now the United States is import-reliant on foreign entities.
A majority of these metals drive 21st century technology
Tap on an element to view details.
1
H
Hydrogen
2
He
Helium
3
Li
Lithium
element details
4
Be
Beryllium
element details
Beryllium
(
Be
)
America mines its own beryllium
Top Producer
United States
type
Critical Metal
technology
5
B
Boron
6
C
Carbon
7
N
Nitrogen
8
O
Oxygen
9
F
Fluorine
10
Ne
Neon
11
Na
Sodium
12
Mg
Magnesium
element details
Magnesium
(
Mg
)
Lightest structural metal on Earth
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
13
Al
Aluminum
element details
Aluminum
(
Al
)
The lightweight metal of everything
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
14
Si
Silicon
15
P
Phosphorus
16
S
Sulfur
17
Cl
Chlorine
18
Ar
Argon
19
K
Potassium
20
Ca
Calcium
21
Sc
Scandium
element details
Scandium
(
Sc
)
Lighter aircraft, cleaner power
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
22
Ti
Titanium
element details
Titanium
(
Ti
)
Titanium flies everything
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
23
V
Vanadium
element details
Vanadium
(
V
)
Powering long-duration grid storage
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
24
Cr
Chromium
element details
Chromium
(
Cr
)
Backbone of stainless and superalloys
Top Producer
South Africa
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
25
Mn
Manganese
element details
Manganese
(
Mn
)
100 percent import dependent
Top Producer
South Africa
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
26
Fe
Iron
element details
Iron
(
Fe
)
Backbone of industry
Top Producer
Australia
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
27
Co
Cobalt
element details
Cobalt
(
Co
)
Congo controls the battery metal
Top Producer
Congo (Kinshasa)
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
28
Ni
Nickel
element details
Nickel
(
Ni
)
Indonesia owns the cathode metal
Top Producer
Indonesia
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
29
Cu
Copper
element details
Copper
(
Cu
)
Wiring the AI era
Top Producer
Chile
type
Kunin Relevant
technology
companies
30
Zn
Zinc
element details
Zinc
(
Zn
)
Galvanizing the industrial economy
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
31
Ga
Gallium
element details
Gallium
(
Ga
)
Inside every 5G radio and power chip
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
32
Ge
Germanium
element details
Germanium
(
Ge
)
The internet runs on glass
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
33
As
Arsenic
element details
Arsenic
(
As
)
Hidden dopant inside every chip
Top Producer
Peru
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
34
Se
Selenium
35
Br
Bromine
36
Kr
Krypton
37
Rb
Rubidium
element details
Rubidium
(
Rb
)
Atoms powering quantum and clocks
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
38
Sr
Strontium
39
Y
Yttrium
element details
Yttrium
(
Y
)
Lasers, displays, jet engines
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
40
Zr
Zirconium
element details
Zirconium
(
Zr
)
Nuclear reactors need zirconium
Top Producer
Australia
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
41
Nb
Niobium
element details
Niobium
(
Nb
)
One country, Brazil, dominates
Top Producer
Brazil
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
42
Mo
Molybdenum
44
Ru
Ruthenium
element details
Ruthenium
(
Ru
)
Ruthenium: the chipmaking PGM
Top Producer
South Africa
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
45
Rh
Rhodium
element details
Rhodium
(
Rh
)
Rhodium: scarcest emissions catalyst
Top Producer
South Africa
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
46
Pd
Palladium
element details
Palladium
(
Pd
)
Palladium: emissions and electronics metal
Top Producer
Russia
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
47
Ag
Silver
element details
Silver
(
Ag
)
Solar boom's hungriest metal
Top Producer
Mexico
type
Kunin Relevant
technology
companies
48
Cd
Cadmium
49
In
Indium
element details
Indium
(
In
)
Every touchscreen depends on it
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
50
Sn
Tin
element details
Tin
(
Sn
)
The solder holding electronics together
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
51
Sb
Antimony
element details
Antimony
(
Sb
)
Flame retardant for all electronics
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
52
Te
Tellurium
element details
Tellurium
(
Te
)
Powers America's biggest solar maker
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
53
I
Iodine
54
Xe
Xenon
55
Cs
Cesium
element details
Cesium
(
Cs
)
Heartbeat of GPS and time
Top Producer
Canada
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
56
Ba
Barium
element details
Barium
(
Ba
)
Drilling mud to ceramic capacitors
Top Producer
India
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
57
La
Lanthanum
element details
Lanthanum
(
La
)
Hybrid batteries and refining catalysts
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
58
Ce
Cerium
element details
Cerium
(
Ce
)
Polishing chips, cleaning emissions
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
59
Pr
Praseodymium
element details
Praseodymium
(
Pr
)
Magnets for EVs and wind
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
60
Nd
Neodymium
element details
Neodymium
(
Nd
)
The magnet behind electrification
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
62
Sm
Samarium
element details
Samarium
(
Sm
)
Magnets that survive extreme heat
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
63
Eu
Europium
element details
Europium
(
Eu
)
Europium lights up displays
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
64
Gd
Gadolinium
element details
Gadolinium
(
Gd
)
Gadolinium enables MRI scans
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
65
Tb
Terbium
element details
Terbium
(
Tb
)
Terbium toughens EV magnets
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
66
Dy
Dysprosium
element details
Dysprosium
(
Dy
)
Dysprosium drives EV motors
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
67
Ho
Holmium
element details
Holmium
(
Ho
)
Holmium powers surgical lasers
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
68
Er
Erbium
element details
Erbium
(
Er
)
Erbium amplifies the internet
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
69
Tm
Thulium
element details
Thulium
(
Tm
)
Thulium fuels fiber lasers
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
70
Yb
Ytterbium
element details
Ytterbium
(
Yb
)
Ytterbium powers industrial lasers
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
71
Lu
Lutetium
element details
Lutetium
(
Lu
)
Lutetium enables PET imaging
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
72
Hf
Hafnium
element details
Hafnium
(
Hf
)
Hidden in chips and engines
Top Producer
France
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
73
Ta
Tantalum
element details
Tantalum
(
Ta
)
Every phone needs tantalum
Top Producer
Congo (Kinshasa)
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
74
W
Tungsten
element details
Tungsten
(
W
)
The hardest-working metal in industry
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
75
Re
Rhenium
element details
Rhenium
(
Re
)
Hottest engines burn rhenium
Top Producer
Chile
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
76
Os
Osmium
element details
Osmium
(
Os
)
Osmium: rarest of platinum group
Top Producer
South Africa
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
77
Ir
Iridium
element details
Iridium
(
Ir
)
Iridium: green hydrogen bottleneck
Top Producer
South Africa
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
78
Pt
Platinum
element details
Platinum
(
Pt
)
Platinum: hydrogen economy linchpin
Top Producer
South Africa
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
79
Au
Gold
element details
Gold
(
Au
)
Inside every chip and satellite
Top Producer
China
type
Kunin Relevant
technology
companies
80
Hg
Mercury
81
Tl
Thallium
82
Pb
Lead
83
Bi
Bismuth
element details
Bismuth
(
Bi
)
Green solder and pink medicine
Top Producer
China
type
Critical Metal
technology
companies
90
Th
Thorium
92
U
Uranium
element details
Uranium
(
U
)
Clean power for AI datacenters
Top Producer
Kazakhstan
type
Kunin Relevant
technology
companies
All of these metals are recovered as by-products from operating mining assets.
But for the past 40 years, they have not been recovered in the United States.
Mining operators have focused on primary metal production.
Because the economics of separations moved offshore
Linear axis, true proportions — germanium, scandium, hafnium & gallium cost far more per kg than the cheaper metals (yttrium, antimony, bismuth, zirconium, tungsten), whose bars are correspondingly short. Spot price is a floating green line above each pair (current Western quote, May–Jun 2026); it is not drawn to the cost axis because spot ranges up to ~$13,000/kg (hafnium) and would otherwise dwarf the cost bars. Multiple = US cost ÷ lowest-cost producer cost. Units: Sc & Y per kg oxide, Nb per kg contained Nb, others per kg metal. Hover any bar or line for full detail & sources.
Supply of separation technology is concentrated
Access to separation know-how, reagents, and equipment for critical metals is increasingly constrained. Kunin builds that capability domestically.
Ion-exchange is how we selectively extract and recover metals from low concentrations & high impurities
A real rock (the ore) holds many metals. Mining and milling free it; leaching dissolves it into a dirty, low-grade solution (lots of impurity ions, little of the target). In the ion-exchange column, the resin selectively binds the target metal while impurity ions wash through (the raffinate); eluting the resin then releases a clean, concentrated stream that goes to refining.
process-tech phases + 2030 fork
With economies of scale largely exhausted and autonomy on the way, step-changes in process technology are now the primary lever for offsetting grade-driven cost escalation
Each process-tech era is a shaded phase; from 2030 the separation cost forks: runaway without a breakthrough, or bent down by a Kunin IX breakthrough.
Left axis: copper head grade (% Cu) with the operating-grade band. Right axis: separation cost share (grade-driven to 2030, then the two scenarios). Shaded vertical bands are process-tech eras: pre-flotation, froth flotation (1912), flash smelting (1949), SX-EW (1968), HPGR & autonomy (2006), and the post-2030 “next step-change?” zone. Faint vertical lines mark each invention year. Scenario branches are illustrative (Kunin branch basis: Metionic IX TEA; runaway branch: modeled).
Our approach to ion-exchange
A new cost & performance frontier
Two tracks — the technology and the full-stack model — converge to unlock resources the industry leaves behind.
Our approach to ion-exchange
A new cost & performance frontier
Two tracks, the technology and the full-stack model, converge to unlock resources the industry leaves behind.
Technology
Media form factor
nanofiber
Ion-exchange polymer chemistry and functional chemistry are transferred to a high surface area, high porosity nanofiber. Diffusion paths shrink by orders of magnitude, so metal loading is faster, fixed beds are smaller, and dilute streams become economic to treat.
Modular equipment
skid-mounted
Ion-exchange media is packaged into modular filter cartridges, making operation and maintenance simple. Pre-fabricated skidded systems are offered turnkey, spec'd from the first lab test program.
Mass manufacturing
scale economies
Media is made in a continuous production line, borrowing principles from the lithium-ion battery. Automated assembly into filter cartridges gives economies of production scale for ex-works costs.
The model · Full-stack delivery
Process development
prove flowsheet
Kunin operates as a free-of-charge metallurgical testing lab, conducting full flowsheet development from feedstock to saleable product. All in one house.
Engineering and procurement
deliver the build
Kunin owns the design and integration of process plants, cutting schedule and cost, and improving project economics. Kunin focuses on small by-product streams that conventional EPCs can't serve profitably.
Financing
bring the capital
Projects are financed with project-level debt financing, providing asset owners risk-free, capital-free incremental revenue.
The Unlock
Cheaper, improved ion-exchange solutions plus a repeatable delivery model lower the minimum economic size of a recovery project. That opens resources the industry has historically left in the ground or in a tailings pond.
Smaller resources
Deposits or waste streams too small to justify returns. Modular skids and project finance make a few tonnes per year of a high-value material worth recovering.
More challenging resources
Low-grade, dilute, acidic, or impurity-heavy streams such as refinery residues, filter cakes, and process liquors, where Kunin technology outperforms solvent extraction and conventional ion-exchange.
Co-product critical metals
Gallium, germanium, scandium, and rare earths recovered alongside an existing operation such as zinc refining or copper smelting. The asset partner keeps its core business and earns risk-free, capital-free incremental revenue.
The Kunin model
Kunin is America's Critical Metal Company
We are America's vertically integrated ion-exchange company: resin manufacturer, process technology developer, and metal producer.
01
Resin Manufacturer
We produce a new resin form factor using the same functional chemistry tree developed since the 1940s.
Interested in buying resin for a project?02
Process Technology Developer
We develop metal recovery processes using ion-exchange. Any feedstock. Any metal in the periodic table.
Developing a co-product circuit?03
Project Builder
We design and build co-product plants at operating mines, smelters, refineries, and industrial.
Exploring a greenfield, brownfield, or restart and want to evaluate co-products?04
Metal Marketer
We qualify, sell, and trade critical metals to western producers.
Need FY 2028 metal oxides, products, or integration to upstream?