Rising gas prices have cast a wider shadow than just energy markets: they’ve also boosted the price of aluminum by 20%. This has put recycling startups on alert as they see an opportunity to cash in. Around 10% of global aluminum production comes from the Gulf region, where conflict has pushed up its cost.

Before the Iran war, the U.S. government had already identified aluminum as a critical mineral due to high import reliance and domestic recycling rates. Amp, a waste sorting startup, claims that aluminum often trades for over £1,000 per ton—a significant chunk of the $1 billion value in 2023.

Sortera, based in Indiana, has opened its second facility in Tennessee to double its processing capacity to 240 million pounds. By using AI algorithms and various sensors, they separate aluminum grades with high accuracy, thereby increasing profitability per pound. Amp’s system uses visible light and infrared cameras to identify waste and differentiate between materials, sorting them effectively as they flow on conveyor belts.

Despite these advancements, only about 20% of the U.S. aluminum is recovered by recycling facilities, according to the EPA. Half of it might be in regular garbage, untouched by the recycling system. Recycling could indeed bolster domestic supplies of this vital mineral, but there's still a long way to go.