USAR Begins Operation Of The Colorado Rare Earth Separation Plant

HOUSTON, June 15 (Argus) - USAR, an American rare earth developer, has started operating a wet-process metallurgical demonstration plant for heavy rare earths in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. It plans to produce separated oxides for the first time in the third quarter of 2026.
USAR said today that the plant will produce separated heavy rare earth oxides, including dysprosium, terbium and yttrium. No details on the quantity were disclosed.
The company said the Wheat Ridge facility is fully automated and is equipped with instruments for real-time process monitoring in all production operations.
The plant processes three types of raw materials, including ore from USAR's Round Top project in Texas, ore from the Serra Verde Pela Ema mine in Brazil, and magnetite waste. In June this year, USAR reached a final agreement with the US Department of Commerce to secure up to $1.6 billion in funds. In April, the company agreed to acquire Serra Verde for $2.8 billion, and the Brazilian antitrust regulator Cade is currently investigating this transaction.