Mission Critical
The industries powering our future — energy, advanced manufacturing, space, defense — and how AI is reshaping all of them. Hosted by Logan Jones and Alex Mercer.
Hear the stories behind the industries
47:31 The Urban Mine Nobody's Processing: Recovering Critical Minerals from E-Waste
The U.S. generates 8 million metric tons of e-waste annually, yet ships nearly 100% of its valuable circuit boards overseas for processing. Matt Bedingfield joins Logan to share how Mint Innovation is building domestic processing capacity using biometallurgy—a method that combines chemistry with naturally occurring biological matter to extract critical metals like gold, copper, and silver from printed circuit boards. The conversation covers why the U.S. is 1 million tons short on copper annually, how Mint's 15-month facility buildout challenges the traditional smelter model, and what their Longview, Texas facility opening in 2027 means for domestic manufacturing.
55:58 TVA Is Turning a Coal Plant into a Fusion Reactor
A decommissioned coal plant in Clinton, Tennessee is on track to become the site of America's first commercial stellarator fusion reactor. Tony Williams, Executive Sponsor of the Infinity Project at TVA, shares how they're partnering with Type One Energy to build a proof-of-concept fusion machine inside the retired Bull Run fossil plant.
50:38 Inside America's Plan to Break China's Critical Minerals Grip
Upwards of 80% of critical minerals are processed in China — even when they're mined elsewhere. Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes joins Logan and Alex to share what she learned deploying $16 billion in grants and tax credits as Deputy Director for Batteries and Critical Materials at the Department of Energy.
32:55 Introducing Mission Critical: Why We're Launching a Podcast About America's Most Critical Industries
Welcome to Mission Critical. This is a series about the industries that are powering our future — energy, advanced manufacturing, space, and defense — and how artificial intelligence is reshaping all of them. Hosted by Logan Jones and Alex Mercer, Mission Critical sits at the intersection of technology and the physical world.
The industries that matter most deserve real conversations
Mission Critical is a podcast for the people building and operating America's most essential industries.