In a move that could reshape the U.S. critical minerals landscape, Kunal Sinha, the former head of Glencore’s recycling division, has launched a New York-based metals processing startup aimed at dramatically reducing the cost and time required to refine copper and other critical minerals.
The venture, named Valor, leverages technology developed by scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The process uses specialized molecules called ligands, which can selectively bind to specific metals when placed in a solution and exposed to an electric current. This allows the technology to target metals like copper or rare earth elements while leaving others, such as nickel, untouched.
“This approach has the potential to extract metals from hard rock mines, recycled batteries, and even deep-sea nodules at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional processing methods,” Sinha said, noting that it could also eliminate waste. The process, however, has not yet been tested at full commercial scale.
Sinha, 44, departed Glencore last Friday after nearly 14 years with the company. During his tenure, he held several roles, most recently leading the recycling division. In addition to launching Valor, he serves as an advisor to rare earth magnet startup REalloys and has invested in magnesium processing company Magrathea.
The timing of Valor’s launch comes amid increasing pressure from the U.S. government and other Western nations to strengthen domestic mineral processing capabilities. Currently, the U.S. processes very few critical minerals, while China dominates global refining. The push to expand local capacity is fueled by growing demand for minerals used in artificial intelligence servers, advanced electronics, and defense systems.
Valor plans to initiate a fundraising campaign to support the development of a demonstration plant, with Massachusetts or New York under consideration as potential sites. Full commercial production of at least five metals is expected within two to three years.
Glencore declined to comment on Sinha’s departure or the formation of Valor.
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