State of Utah selects Mariana Minerals to modernize former US Magnesium facility

Phased redevelopment prioritizes water conservation, critical mineral production and Superfund site cleanup

SALT LAKE CITY – Following a competitive lease offering process, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) has selected Mariana Minerals to lead the responsible redevelopment and phased restart of mineral extraction at the former US Magnesium site on the southwest shore of the Great Salt Lake.

With support from the Utah Legislature and Gov. Spencer J. Cox, FFSL acquired certain assets in federal bankruptcy court such as US Magnesium’s water rights and real property interests. This acquisition gives the state on-site control, enabling officials to halt lake diversions and partner with state and federal environmental regulators to facilitate on-site remediation and install an operator committed to innovation and modern environmental standards. The water rights acquired by the state during the acquisition will remain with the state and have not been offered as part of this selection.

“Acquiring these assets and selecting an operator that is prepared to reinvest in this site is a significant win for the state and the lake,” Gov. Cox said. “We are replacing a legacy polluter with an operator that will bring new technology to mineral extraction that is protective of the lake and its valuable water resources, and generate significant revenue that can be used to clean up this Superfund site rather than passing the costs onto taxpayers.”

Under the framework established with FFSL, Mariana Minerals will introduce modern, non-evaporative extraction technologies focused initially on on-site mineral stockpiles. Significant royalty revenue is projected which may be used to perform superfund remediation. 

“A restart of the former US Magnesium site represents a historic opportunity to demonstrate responsible mineral development, with the protection of the Great Salt Lake as our north star,” Turner Caldwell, co-founder and CEO of Mariana Minerals, said. “Our proposed, phased restart of lithium and magnesium production prioritizes water conservation, eliminates historically challenging air and wastewater emissions, and accelerates the availability of funding for the site’s environmental remediation. We’ll do this while generating significant economic activity and jobs for Utah and Tooele County and pursuing a community-first approach to build support for the project from the ground up. The site is a strategic asset for the nation and the state. Our job is to restore it under a new set of principles and transform it into a 21st century operation that we can be proud of.”

Historically, US Magnesium produced all of the nation’s primary magnesium metal and most recently attempted to commercialize battery grade lithium. However, primary magnesium production sat idle for over four years following major operational and equipment breakdowns. Previous commitments found in the US Magnesium Consent Decree were not adhered to, leaving significant environmental concerns and much needed remedial activities. Over $300 million in secured and unsecured debt was identified by creditors as part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

Mariana Minerals’ multi-phase redevelopment strategy aligns with Utah’s goals for environmental stewardship and domestic critical mineral production:

• Water Conservation & Lake Protection: Replaces massive industrial solar evaporation diversions with low-water processing. Initial phases focus on mineral resources that are already on site.
• Remediation Funding: Royalties generated from mineral recovery are available to fund the remediation of the site, helping resolve decades of contamination.
• Critical Minerals & Economic Security: Focuses on the production of lithium and an innovative and modernized form of magnesium production—minerals essential to national security and modern energy—while creating skilled industrial jobs and economic investment in Tooele County.
• Rigorous Environmental Accountability: Operates under a modernized lease with the oversight of FFSL, ensuring adherence to modern regulatory standards and ongoing collaboration with the EPA.

The state and Mariana Minerals will now finalize the specific redevelopment terms, milestones and regulatory frameworks required to initiate site modernization and cleanup.

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About the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands 

The Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands manages sovereign lands across Utah, including the bed and waters of the Great Salt Lake, under the public trust doctrine. FFSL is tasked with balancing resource stewardship, public health, and sustainable economic impact for the benefit of all Utahns.

About Mariana Minerals

Mariana Minerals builds and operates autonomous mines and refineries, with a focus on supplying the minerals critical to modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. We currently operate Copper One in San Juan County, Utah, a mine and refinery producing high-purity copper cathode for the U.S. market, and are developing Lithium One in East Texas, the world’s first GWh-scale facility for producing lithium from oil and gas produced water. 

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