American Rare Earths and Novex partner for U.S. magnet supply

American Rare Earths and Novex, LLC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a domestic U.S. rare earth metal production capability. The partnership focuses on converting separated rare earth oxides from the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming into the metals required for permanent magnets.

The collaboration aims to address a critical gap in the supply chain, as the conversion of oxides to metals is a process currently dominated by China. This development is particularly significant due to a U.S. Department of Defense mandate stating that, starting January 1, 2027, defense contractors will be prohibited from using magnets containing rare earth elements mined, refined, or separated in China.

The Halleck Creek Project is noted as the largest known deposit of total contained rare earth oxides in the United States. The companies intend to optimize processes for rare earth element recovery and purity, specifically targeting the metallization of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide. They also plan to explore the joint design of a domestic rare earth metal production facility to establish a complete mine-to-magnet supply chain.