DLA Strategic Material’s Recycling program was authorized under the Strategic and Critical Material Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.).
The Act allows recovery of any strategic and critical materials from excess, end-of-life assets made available for recovery purposes by other Federal agencies. Multiple efforts have been initiated since the approval of this recycling authority:
Germanium Recycling Program (GeRP)
DLA works with the Military Services to collect military, end-of-life scrap. The GeRP is a complete, multi-step process through which germanium is recovered from military scrap is transformed into germanium ingots exceeding 99.999% purity.
Past Recycling Initiatives
Super-Alloy Recovery
Super-alloys are used in turbine engines, such as those in aircrafts operated and maintained by the U.S. Air Force. These super-alloys are generally nickel and cobalt-based alloys containing metals such as rhenium, tantalum, tungsten, niobium, and electrolytic or aluminothermic chromium and manganese.
Super-alloys were recovered, demilitarized, cleaned, characterized, and transferred to the NDS. DLA Strategic Materials utilized certified super-alloy scrap companies to close the recycling loop.
Utilizing this recycling authority, DLA Strategic Materials was able to increase domestic supply of strategic and critical materials to support defense and essential civilian industries in times of national emergency.
View Fullscreen