Still Bright develops a vanadium-based electrochemical extraction system that soaks copper-containing ores in a regenerable vanadium solution to recover copper without the high-pollution pyrometallurgical steps. Inspired by vanadium flow batteries, the process electrically regenerates the spent solution and can recover nearly all copper from typical ores and from tailings. Its modular equipment is much smaller than traditional refiners because processing happens in minutes to an hour, enabling installations across a range of mine sizes. The company says its equipment costs 70–90% less than typical pyrometallurgical gear and currently runs at similar operating costs to a typical refinery, with expectations to become cheaper. Still Bright operates a pilot that produces about two tons of copper per year and plans a demonstration unit in 2027–2028 capable of producing 500 tons per year, targeting a commercial system of 10,000 tons annually. Founded in 2022 and based in New Jersey, Still Bright aims to scale to become one of the lowest-cost copper producers by enabling recovery from existing ores and waste streams.

Total raised

$19M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Jul 2025