Ucore Rare Metals forms partnership with Metallium

Executive Summary

• Ucore Rare Metals Inc. has entered a 12‑month strategic technology collaboration with Metallium Ltd., integrating Metallium’s Flash Joule Heating (FJH) process with Ucore’s RapidSX rare‑earth separation platform.
• The partnership aims to upgrade diverse REE‑bearing feedstocks—including primary concentrates, magnet scrap, e‑waste, and lighting waste—into high‑purity mixed rare‑earth chlorides for downstream separation into individual REOs (e.g., NdPr, Dy, Tb).
• No fees or consideration are exchanged under the agreement; both parties retain full technology rights while pursuing joint R&D, bench‑scale testing, and pilot‑scale production over the next year.

Key Details

• Collaboration Scope
• Integrate Metallium’s FJH chloride upgrading technology with Ucore’s RapidSX separation platform across a wide range of feedstocks.
• Explore bypassing conventional acid‑leach circuits by converting REE‑bearing materials into enriched mixed rare‑earth chlorides.

• Joint R&D on recovering heavy REE terbium and other high‑value elements from lighting waste, phosphor powders, and e‑waste brines; also investigate recovery of Au, Sb, Sn, Cu from e‑waste streams.

• Program Stages

• Stage 1 – Bench‑scale testing:
  • Process Ucore‑supplied rare‑earth concentrate through Metallium’s FJH to produce mixed REE chlorides.
  • Convert magnet scrap into chlorides containing Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb.
  • Extract terbium from lighting waste.

• Stage 2 – Pilot‑scale production:

  • Pilot campaigns to generate mixed REE chlorides for processing at Ucore’s commercial demonstration plant in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
  • Include pilot runs on e‑waste‑derived metal chlorides.

• Term & Commercial Terms

• Agreement term: 12 months from signing date (Sept. 13 2025).
• No fees, royalties, or other consideration; each party retains all technology rights.

• Good‑faith discussions to explore future commercial arrangements after the pilot phase.

• Strategic Rationale

• Expands feedstock flexibility for Ucore’s Louisiana refinery and future SMC sites (Canada, Alaska).
• Supports U.S. government objectives for a Western‑aligned, scalable REE supply chain that is feedstock‑agnostic.

• Potential to unlock stranded or discounted REE sources, especially heavy REEs like terbium, enhancing defense and commercial applications.

• Quotes

• Michael Walshe (Metallium MD & CEO): “Ucore is constructing one of the most advanced REE downstream separation facilities in North America… our FJH platform can help unlock feedstocks that are currently stranded or heavily discounted.”
• Pat Ryan (Ucore Chairman & CEO): “We are excited to explore the integration of Metallium’s metal recovery platform with our RapidSX. This collaboration directly supports the U.S. government’s strategic objective of developing Western‑aligned separation capabilities that are scalable, flexible and feedstock‑agnostic.”

Notable Quotes

• Pat Ryan: “Our goal is to deliver consistent, high‑purity rare‑earth outputs suitable for critical defence and commercial applications.”
• Michael Walshe: “Our FJH platform can help unlock feedstocks that are currently stranded or heavily discounted, especially those rich in heavy REEs.”