Ucore Advances North American Rare Earth Processing Capabilities with Key Demonstration Plant

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. is advancing toward establishing a domestic rare earth element processing capability in North America as the company approaches commissioning of its RapidSX™ Commercial Demonstration Plant in Kingston, Ontario. This milestone represents a crucial step in commercializing advanced rare earth element separation technology that could transform North America's position in the critical minerals sector. The demonstration plant will validate the company's proprietary separation technology at commercial scale, providing essential data for full-scale facility development.

The company's strategic development plan includes constructing its first Strategic Metals Complex in Louisiana with an initial processing capacity of 2,000 tons of total rare earth oxides by the end of 2024. Ucore plans to scale this capacity to 5,000 tons by 2026, demonstrating a clear growth trajectory in the critical minerals market. Beyond the Louisiana facility, the company has long-term plans for additional Strategic Metals Complexes in Alaska and Canada, creating a distributed processing network across North America.

These initiatives are supported by Ucore's 100%-owned Bokan-Dotson Ridge heavy rare earth element resource in Alaska, positioning the company as a potential key player in North American critical minerals production. The company's approach receives strong support from both U.S. and Canadian governments, reflecting the strategic importance of establishing secure rare earth element supply chains. Strategic partnerships with Kingston Process Metallurgy and Mech-Chem Associates provide essential technical expertise and engineering capabilities for developing comprehensive rare earth element processing infrastructure.

By developing independent rare earth element processing capabilities, Ucore aims to address critical supply chain vulnerabilities that have concerned manufacturers and governments for years. The establishment of North American processing capacity supports emerging technologies that rely heavily on rare earth elements, including renewable energy systems, advanced electronics, electric vehicles, and defense applications. This development represents a significant step toward reducing dependence on Chinese rare earth element production, which currently dominates global supply chains and creates strategic vulnerabilities for Western nations.