What if the clean energy transition is built on one of the dirtiest secrets in industry—rare earth metals? They power EVs, AI, and defense systems, yet most are processed overseas with toxic, outdated methods. In this episode, Nicholas Myers, CEO of Phoenix Tailings, shares how his company is transforming mining waste into a clean, domestic source of critical materials. From backyard prototypes to pioneering world-first predictive complexation, Nick shares the grit, innovation, and vision it takes to scale deep tech in one of the world’s most entrenched industries—and why zero-waste, zero-emission metals are vital for both energy security and the environment. Tune in to hear how backyard experiments grew into a global metals revolution.--- Hey Climate Tech enthusiasts! Check out Leaders on a Mission, where I interview climate tech leaders shaking up the industry and bringing us the next wave of sustainable solutions. Join me for a deep dive into the future of green innovation—exploring the highs, lows, and everything in between of pioneering new technologies.Tune in on…YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadersonamissionNet0Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7o41ubdkzChAzD9C53xH82Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leaders-on-a-mission/id1532211726…to listen to the latest episodes!Timestamps:00:58 – Nick’s unconventional journey04:17 – Backyard experiments begin07:22 – Tackling mining waste11:23 – Predictive complexation breakthrough13:40 – AI in metallurgy17:04 – US-China supply chain exposure19:15 – Scaling defense capacity22:56 – Financing beyond VC25:05 – Rare earths in production28:27 – Lessons from fundraising31:43 – The three-year IPO vision33:35 – Building high-performance teams38:31 – Values that drive Phoenix TailingsUseful links: Phoenix Tailings website: https://phoenixtailings.com/Phoenix Tailings LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phoenixtailings/Nicholas Myers  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholaswilliammyers/Leaders on a Mission website: https://cs-partners.net/podcasts/Simon Leich’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/executive-talent-headhunter-agtech-foodtech-agrifoodtech-agritech/

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