Louisiana to host first heavy rare-earths separation facility in US
Aclara Resources Inc is to construct the facility for operation by mid-2028.
Currently, Aclara is collaborating with Virginia Tech to validate its proprietary separation process via a pilot plant under construction, which is expected to be fully operational by Q1 2026.
The Louisiana project is scheduled for completion in 2027, contingent upon the timely completion of funding and offtake agreements.
Once feeds are secured, the project will become the first heavy rare-earths (HREE) separation plant in the USA. The company is planning a secured sustainable feed from ionic clay deposits in Brazil and Chile
It is expected to produce high-purity dysprosium (Dy), terbium (Tb) and other restricted HREEs and light rare-earths (LREEs), and full production should supply more than 75% of the country’s requirements of DyTb for electric vehicles by 2028.
Assuming the promised feeds are achieved, annual production is anticipated to be 200t/y (Dy), 30t/y (Tb) and 1,400t/y (NdPr) of separated high-purity oxides.
The company is also planning additional investment to construct a metals and alloys plant at the site to support the high-performance permanent magnet industry.
