American Rare Earths Announces SynBREE Consortium Produces Heavy & Light Rare Earths Oxide Concentrates using Halleck Creek Ore
American Rare Earths (OTCQX: AMRRY) announced a significant breakthrough in rare earth element (REE) processing at its Halleck Creek project. The SynBREE consortium, led by Lawrence Livermore National Lab, successfully produced 97.1% pure Heavy Rare Earth Oxide (HREO) and 96.4% pure Light Rare Earth Oxide (LREO) concentrates from the project's allanite-based ore.
The achievement is part of the US Department of Defense's DARPA EMBER project, which aims to develop biotechnology-based REE separation and purification strategies. The University of Kentucky processed approximately 840kg of ore from 36 drill holes, achieving an 82% recovery rate of total rare earths from the leachate solution.
American Rare Earths (OTCQX: AMRRY) ha annunciato un importante progresso nel trattamento degli elementi delle terre rare (REE) presso il progetto Halleck Creek. Il consorzio SynBREE, guidato dal Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, è riuscito a ottenere concentrazioni di ossido di terre rare pesanti (HREO) al 97,1% di purezza e di ossido di terre rare leggere (LREO) al 96,4% di purezza dal minerale a base di allanite del progetto.
Il risultato rientra nel progetto DARPA EMBER del Dipartimento della Difesa degli Stati Uniti, volto a sviluppare metodi biotecnologici per la separazione e la purificazione delle REE. L'Università del Kentucky ha trattato circa 840 kg di minerale proveniente da 36 fori di perforazione, raggiungendo un tasso di recupero dell'82% delle terre rare totali dalla soluzione di lisciviazione.
American Rare Earths (OTCQX: AMRRY) anunció un avance notable en el procesamiento de elementos de tierras raras (REE) en su proyecto Halleck Creek. El consorcio SynBREE, liderado por el Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, logró producir concentrados de óxidos de tierras raras pesadas (HREO) con 97,1% de pureza y de óxidos de tierras raras ligeras (LREO) con 96,4% de pureza a partir del mineral allanita del proyecto.
Este logro forma parte del proyecto DARPA EMBER del Departamento de Defensa de EE. UU., que busca desarrollar estrategias biotecnológicas para la separación y purificación de REE. La Universidad de Kentucky procesó aproximadamente 840 kg de mineral de 36 sondeos, alcanzando una recuperación del 82% de las tierras raras totales en la solución de lixiviación.
American Rare Earths (OTCQX: AMRRY)가 Halleck Creek 프로젝트에서 희토류(REE) 처리에 있어 중대한 성과를 발표했습니다. Lawrence Livermore National Lab이 주도하는 SynBREE 컨소시엄은 프로젝트의 알라나이트 기반 광석에서 중(重)희토산화물(HREO) 97.1% 순도와 경(輕)희토산화물(LREO) 96.4% 순도의 농축물을 성공적으로 생산했습니다.
이번 성과는 미 국방부의 DARPA EMBER 프로젝트의 일환으로, 희토류의 분리 및 정제를 위한 생명공학 기반 방법을 개발하는 것을 목표로 합니다. 켄터키 대학교는 36개 시추공에서 나온 약 840kg의 광석을 처리해 침출액에서 전체 희토류의 82% 회수율을 달성했습니다.
American Rare Earths (OTCQX: AMRRY) a annoncé une avancée importante dans le traitement des éléments de terres rares (REE) sur son projet Halleck Creek. Le consortium SynBREE, dirigé par le Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a produit avec succès des concentrés d'oxyde de terres rares lourdes (HREO) à 97,1% de pureté et d'oxyde de terres rares légères (LREO) à 96,4% de pureté à partir du minerai à base d'allanite du projet.
Cette réussite s'inscrit dans le cadre du projet DARPA EMBER du Département de la Défense des États-Unis, visant à développer des stratégies de séparation et de purification des REE basées sur la biotechnologie. L'Université du Kentucky a traité environ 840 kg de minerai provenant de 36 forages, atteignant un taux de récupération de 82% des terres rares totales à partir de la solution de lixiviation.
American Rare Earths (OTCQX: AMRRY) gab einen bedeutenden Durchbruch bei der Verarbeitung von Seltenen Erden (REE) auf seinem Halleck-Creek-Projekt bekannt. Das SynBREE-Konsortium unter Leitung des Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory stellte erfolgreich Konzentrate mit 97,1% reinem schweren Seltenen-Erden-Oxid (HREO) und 96,4% reinem leichten Seltenen-Erden-Oxid (LREO) aus dem allanitbasierten Erz des Projekts her.
Der Erfolg ist Teil des DARPA-EMBER-Projekts des US-Verteidigungsministeriums, das biotechnologische Strategien zur Trennung und Reinigung von REE entwickeln soll. Die University of Kentucky verarbeitete rund 840 kg Erz aus 36 Bohrlöchern und erzielte eine Rückgewinnungsrate von 82% der gesamten Seltenen Erden aus der Laugelösung.
- None.
- Processing method is still at laboratory research stage and not commercially proven
- REE losses of approximately 15% during impurity removal process
- Biotechnology flowsheet is outside the scope of current Pre-Feasibility Study
Highlights
- Mixed heavy and light rare earth oxide concentrates produced from Halleck Creek’s allanite-based ore as part of the US Department of Defense’s (“DoD”) on-going Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (“DARPA”) Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource (“EMBER”) project.
- Results include:
97.1% pure Heavy Rare Earth Oxide (“HREO”)96.4% pure Light Rare Earth Oxide (“LREO”)
- First production of Light Rare Earth Oxides (“LREO”) and Heavy Rare Earth Oxides (“HREO”) using Halleck Creek Ore
DENVER, Aug. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Rare Earths Limited (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) (“ARR” or “the Company”) announced today that the University of Kentucky (“UK”) produced a heavy rare earths oxide concentrate and light rare earths oxide concentrate from Halleck Creek’s allanite-based ore. These concentrates are precursors to separated rare earth element (“REE”) oxides and this is the first time that they have been produced from Halleck Creek ore.
American Rare Earths is a part of the US Department of Defenses’ ongoing DARPA EMBER project. This project’s goal is to develop a biotechnology-based separation and purification strategy for REEs. Since 2023, ARR has provided ~840kg of Halleck Creek ore to the project from approximately 36 drill holes (Figure 1 and Table 1), which UK, in collaboration with the Lawrence Livermore National Lab (i.e. US Department of Energy laboratory, “LLNL”) and Penn State University, have processed into leachates for bio-recovery and traditional solvent extraction recovery of REEs. This consortium, known as SynBREE, led by LLNL scientists, has been working together to research and develop bio-recovery of rare earth elements using the Lanmodulin protein and its derivatives.
Why it matters? The production of this material provides a meaningful development for the Halleck Creek project as it demonstrates that rare earth oxides, of relatively high purity can be produced from Halleck Creek’s allanite-based ore. Encouragingly, the SynBREE consortium’s biotechnology flowsheet, while at laboratory research stage and yet to be commercially proven, shows the method successfully extracts REE from allanite minerals, and could provide an alternate separation process to be considered in the future.
At this stage, the SynBREE consortium’s research is outside of the scope of the Company’s on-going Pre-Feasibility Study (“PFS”) mineral processing flow-sheet development. American Rare Earths is currently testing conventional mineral processing techniques and progressing the optimization work announced earlier this month, while at the same time continuing to review the potential of new, innovative technology.
Interim CEO, Joe Evers, commented, “Our collaboration with the SynBREE consortium continues to achieve significant milestones. These results provide a very meaningful third-party validation that light and heavy rare earths oxides can be produced from the Halleck Creek allanite hosted ore body. Both these oxides are used in the production of permanent magnets.”
These results are part of ongoing research for the DARAPA EMBER project. The rare earth oxides produced by UK provide the feedstock LLNL uses to test separation columns using Lanmodulin. It should be noted that the oxides UK produced are not final products, they are a precursor to individual separated rare earth oxides. Furthermore, the research flowsheet used by UK differs from flowsheets being developed by Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc (“WRI”), the wholly owned subsidiary of ARR. As a part of the on-going Pre-Feasibility Study work, WRI is using conventional mineral processing techniques and equipment for the flow-sheet design.
UK created LREO powder and HREO powder using reverse circulation cuttings from drill holes across the Halleck Creek project area. UK created this material independently from ARR as part of the DARPA EMBER SynBREE project led by Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL), and Penn State University. The methods UK used to create this material are independent from any methods used by ARR for mineral processing and leaching.
UK used heavy liquid separation to concentrate allanite in RC feedstock. UK used hydrochloric acid to leach the allanite ore. UK used sodium hydroxide to remove approximately
UK used D2EHPA and hydrochloric acid for solvent extraction to create LREE- and HREE-enriched solutions. UK used oxalic acid to create a LREE oxalate and an HREE oxalate powder. UK then calcined the oxalates to create a light rare earth oxide (“LREO”) and a heavy rare earth oxide (“HREO”). UK recovered approximately
About American Rare Earths Limited:
American Rare Earths (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) is a critical minerals company at the forefront of reshaping the U.S. rare earths industry. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc. (“WRI”), the company is advancing the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming—a world-class rare earth deposit with the potential to secure America’s critical mineral independence for generations. Located on Wyoming State land, the Cowboy State Mine within Halleck Creek offers cost-efficient open-pit mining methods and benefits from streamlined permitting processes in this mining-friendly state.
With plans for onsite mineral processing and separation facilities, Halleck Creek is strategically positioned to reduce U.S. reliance on imports—predominantly from China—while meeting the growing demand for rare earth elements essential to defense, advanced technologies, and economic security. As exploration progresses, the project’s untapped potential on both State and Federal lands further reinforces its significance as a cornerstone of U.S. supply chain security. In addition to its resource potential, American Rare Earths is committed to environmentally responsible mining practices and continues to collaborate with U.S. Government-supported R&D programs to develop innovative extraction and processing technologies for rare earth elements.
For Further Information
Susan Assadi
Media Relations US
347-977-7125
Beverly Jedynak
Investor Relations US
312-943-1123
