Daily Buzz | Rare Earth Metal Company to Bring Refinement Pilot to Burlington

Plus, local restaurant adjusts risk management plan

I never can resist the big sky. Photo by author.

Good morning, Burlington!

Last night at the Board of Health meeting, we heard from Phoenix Tailings, a company that is creating a process to harvest rare earth metals, neodymium and dysprosium iron, from discarded tailings from iron mining (pulverized rock that remains after the metal has been extracted). Currently 97% of these processes are performed outside the US (in China and Russia), and this business looks to develop refining of these products, used in electric vehicles and wind turbines, in the United States.

The company concentrates the tailings at the tailing site, an iron mine in upstate New York, and they convert these concentrates to metal at the refining site. There is nothing toxic involved in the process, and all byproducts are either sold or taken off site.

This is a pilot operation; the business will be moving to 20 North Ave after VulcanForms vacates.

Also at Board of Health:

• Two new permits were issued for keeping of hens.

• Corporate Chefs will be opening six unattended food establishment locations at businesses around town—some in conjunction with existing cafes and some freestanding. These are for fresh, convenience food with self-checkout.

• Following an issue with some refrigeration units and some other health violations, the Treasury Restaurant has made some changes to their risk control plan:

  • The restaurant has serviced refrigeration equipment, and all is in working order; they’ve engaged in a preventive maintenance contract.

  • They purchased a new refrigeration unit and an app-connected thermometer to ensure maintenance of proper temperatures.

  • They have also hired a food consultant to do some retraining with staff; they’ll do food auditing and retraining throughout the fall.

  If another violation occurs, the restaurant’s food permit could be revoked. The restaurant’s owner assured the Board that these issues would not reoccur.

• Part-time Public Health Nurse, Rashod Blades, has joined the Tri-ton Collaborative and will use his expertise to provide training and other services to residents of Burlington, Lexington, and Wilmington.

Today in Burlington

Meetings and Events

• 4:00 PM - Board of Assessors will sign motor vehicle and real estate abatements and exemptions and hear from the assessor on FY24 real estate values. (Town Hall)

• 5:30 PM - Community Dinner at the Presbyterian Church, 335 Cambridge Street. Free to come; all are welcome.

• 6:30 PM - Parks & Recreation Children’s Show: Rainforest Reptile Show

• 7:00 PM - Cooking with Scraps with Cookbook Author Lindsay-Jean Hard: Library (Virtual)

• 7:15 PM - English at Large Conversation Group at the library

That’s all I’ve got for you today. Have a great one!

Nicci