Still Bright

Still Bright is a climate-tech company founded in 2022 that is developing a cleaner, more efficient method for copper extraction. Headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, the firm was co-founded by CEO Randy Allen and CTO Jon Vardner. The technology originated from research conducted at Columbia University.

The company's patented hydrometallurgical process, named RACER, facilitates the rapid conversion of concentrated copper ore into refined copper at ambient temperature and pressure. This method uses a vanadium-based solution to soak the ore, drawing out the copper in a process that takes minutes to an hour. The system then uses electricity to regenerate the vanadium solution for reuse, a concept inspired by vanadium flow batteries. This approach allows for the extraction of up to 99% of copper from sulfide ore, a significant improvement over traditional methods. The entire process can be electrified and powered by renewable energy, reducing the carbon impact and avoiding the toxic air pollutants associated with traditional smelting.

Still Bright's business model targets the mining industry, offering a solution to several challenges, including the environmental impact of smelting, reliance on overseas processing, and the underutilization of resources. The company’s modular systems are designed to be 70% to 90% cheaper in capital costs than conventional pyrometallurgical equipment and can be deployed at various mine sizes. It aims to process not only high-grade ore but also waste tailings and other resources that are currently difficult to process.

In July 2025, Still Bright secured $18.7 million in a seed funding round co-led by Material Impact and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, with participation from investors like Azolla Ventures, Fortescue, and SOSV. The capital is intended to scale operations from its current two-ton-per-year pilot unit to a 500-ton-per-year demonstration facility by 2028. The ultimate goal is to deploy 10,000-ton-per-year commercial units, helping to establish a domestic copper supply chain.

Keywords: copper extraction, hydrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, vanadium leaching, cleantech, mining technology, critical minerals, sustainable mining, resource recovery, circular economy, industrial decarbonization, metal refining, energy transition, climate tech, process intensification, modular processing, supply chain localization, waste valorization, electrochemical process, green chemistry