American Resources, through its holding in ReElement Technologies, which is developing rare earth element (REE) and critical mineral refining capacity, has agreed to enter a joint venture (JV) with Exigo Battery Solutions to use ReElement’s rare earth oxide refining technologies within the US and India to produce purified rare earth oxides.

Exigo will initially source, process and supply rare earth concentrates to ReElement’s facility in Marion, Indiana to be refined to magnet-grade 99.5%+ neodymium-praseodymium, neodymium, dysprosium and terbium oxides. The goal will be to then expand by deploying ReElement’s technology to India to refine REEs.

The goal of the JV is to produce at least 2,000 metric tons per year from recycled feedstock such as EV motors, hard disk drives, wind turbines, MRI machines and other permanent magnet-containing materials.

ReElement uses its technology for the separation and purification phase of rare earth and critical battery and defense material processing and refining that maximizes the surface area interface by using columns and resins, rather than the toxic acids and solvents typically used in hydrometallurgical processes.

“We believe collaboration and coordination are the key to developing a cost-competitive supply chain in the rare earth industry. The partnership is built to enable the combined JV to be able to compete head-to-head on cost, purity and scalability with the current supply chain. Utilizing ReElement’s technology to refine end-of-life magnets to separated, purified heavy and light rare earth oxides is a relatively straightforward process and something we have been doing in Indiana for over three years,” said Mark Jensen, Chairman of ReElement Technologies.

Source: ReElement Technologies