Reprocessing and remining as grey extractivism: the example of cobalt from the Southeast Missouri Lead Belt

Since 2019, USSM has been developing reprocessing and re-mining of a former lead operation and Superfund site to supply cobalt from Southeast Missouri. This article links recent efforts of reprocessing and remining to grey extractivism and the reproduction of historical mining in often degraded pre-existing sites even as they form part of so-called green extractivism. We find that long-term socio-economic and environmental dynamics define a 'cautious optimism' that clashes with a traditionally cleaving industry. The company has so far failed to adopt a clear communication strategy, while the economic benefits are described in overly positive terms by community members hoping for a restart. Environmental issues remain at the fore and echo past abuses that the company, under regulators' supervision, aims to address. We conclude that reshoring critical minerals production with reprocessing and remining will require new processes of residual governance to avoid some of the impacts of legacies of extractivism.