5E Advanced Materials CEO Paul Weibel Discusses Searles Valley Acquisition Agreement and Path to Revenue Generation at Water Tower Research Insights Conference
5E’s CEO outlined how the proposed Searles Valley asset acquisition could support Fort Cady and a shift toward revenue generation.
Rhea-AI Summary
5E Advanced Materials (FEAM) announced that CEO Paul Weibel discussed the company’s recently announced agreement to acquire certain assets of Searles Valley Minerals at the Water Tower Research Insights Conference held on September 22, 2026.
The proposed acquisition is expected, upon closing, to help 5E transition from a pre-revenue developer to a revenue-generating U.S. critical minerals producer by adding existing production capabilities, an established customer base and infrastructure to its platform. Weibel outlined the opportunity to combine Searles Valley’s operating business with 5E’s Fort Cady boron resource, the potential to support Fort Cady’s development while reducing its standalone financing burden, and the longer-term goal of building a scaled U.S. platform across boron, advanced boron materials and other critical mineral products. A replay of the session is available via registration.
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HESPERIA, CA / ACCESS Newswire / September 23, 2026 / 5E Advanced Materials, Inc. ("5E" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:FEAM) today announced that Chief Executive Officer Paul Weibel participated in the Water Tower Research Insights Conference held on September 22, 2026.
The discussion followed 5E's recently announced agreement to acquire certain assets of Searles Valley Minerals, Inc., a transaction that, upon closing, is expected to accelerate 5E's transition from a pre-revenue developer to a revenue-generating U.S. critical minerals producer. The press release announcing the agreement is available Here.
During the session, Paul discussed what the proposed acquisition could mean for 5E's growth strategy and investment proposition, including the opportunity to combine Searles Valley's existing production capabilities, established customer base and infrastructure with Fort Cady's large-scale boron resource and long-term growth potential.
Key topics included:
- The 5E enhanced value: How the proposed Searles Valley acquisition is expected to add existing production and revenue to 5E's long-term development platform upon closing.
- Two complementary California assets: The opportunity to combine Searles Valley's operating capabilities and infrastructure with Fort Cady's significant boron resource.
- A growing critical minerals market: The supply-and-demand dynamics supporting boron and its importance across permanent magnets, defense, semiconductors, energy, agriculture and advanced manufacturing.
- A stronger pathway for Fort Cady: How adding an operating asset could support 5E's strategy for advancing Fort Cady while potentially reducing the financing burden associated with developing the project on a standalone basis.
- Building a scaled U.S. platform: The longer-term opportunity for 5E to expand its position across boron, advanced boron materials and other critical mineral products.
Register to access the replay: Click Here
About 5E Advanced Materials, Inc.
5E Advanced Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:FEAM) is a development-stage company focused on becoming a vertically integrated global leader and supplier of refined borates and advanced boron materials, complemented by calcium-based co-products, and potentially other by-products such as lithium carbonate. The Company's mission is to become a supplier of these critical materials to industries addressing global decarbonization, energy independence, food, national security, and the defense sector. The Company believes factors such as government regulation and incentives focused on domestic manufacturing and supply chains and capital investments across industries will drive demand for end-use applications like solar and wind energy infrastructure, neodymium-iron-boron magnets, defense applications, lithium-ion batteries, and other critical material applications. The business is based on the Company's large domestic boron resource, which is located in Southern California and designated as Critical Infrastructure by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and boron was added to the U.S. Department of the Interior's 2025 Critical Minerals List.
Forward Looking Statements
Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the approval of the asset purchase agreement by the Bankruptcy Court, the expected consummation of the proposed Acquisition, expected revenue generation and financial statement impact, the anticipated benefits of combining Searles Valley's production capabilities, customer base and infrastructure with Fort Cady, expectations regarding the advancement, development and financing of Fort Cady, 5E's longer-term strategy to expand across boron, advanced boron materials, calcium-based co-products, potential by-products such as lithium carbonate and other critical mineral products, and anticipated borate supply, end-use demand and market opportunity, including the effect of government regulation, incentives and capital investment on such demand. Any forward-looking statements are based on 5E's current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially.
These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk that the Bankruptcy Court does not approve the Asset Purchase Agreement; the risk that the motion filed by the California Air Resources Board in the Chapter 11 Cases objecting to the sale of the Specified Assets free and clear of certain environmental and regulatory obligations is not resolved in a manner acceptable to the Company; the risk that any sale order entered by the Bankruptcy Court is subject to objection, appeal, modification, stay or reversal; the risk that the Bankruptcy Court approves an alternative transaction; the risk that the conditions to closing are not satisfied or waived, including conditions relating to required approvals from the Surface Transportation Board; the risk that the bridge financing is not funded on the terms or within the timeframe contemplated; the risk that the Asset Purchase Agreement is terminated, including as a result of the failure to close by the outside date specified therein; the risk that the Acquisition is not consummated within the anticipated timeframe or at all; the risk that the anticipated benefits, revenue contribution or cost efficiencies of the Acquisition are not realized on the expected timeline or at all; risks relating to the integration of the acquired assets and operations, including the retention of Searles Valley's customers, suppliers and key personnel; risks relating to the operating, production, environmental, permitting and reclamation obligations associated with an operating asset; the risk that 5E requires additional capital to advance Fort Cady and that such capital is unavailable on acceptable terms, or at all, notwithstanding any cash flow contributed by the acquired assets; and risks relating to boron and critical minerals demand, pricing and end-use markets, including changes in government policy, regulation or incentives. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in 5E's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its other reports filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are based on information available to 5E as of the date hereof and are made only as of the date of this release. 5E undertakes no obligation to update such information except as required under applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing 5E's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. In light of the foregoing, investors are urged not to rely on any forward-looking statement in reaching any conclusion or making any investment decision about any securities of 5E.
For further information contact:
Investor Relations
Brett Maas
Hayden IR, LLC
FEAM@haydenir.com
Ph: +1 (480) 861-2425
Media Relations
Paola Ashton
PRA Communications
team@pracommunications.com
Ph: +1 (604) 681-1407
SOURCE: 5E Advanced Materials, Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What potential benefits did 5E highlight from the proposed Searles Valley acquisition?
The company said the transaction, if closed, is expected to add existing production and revenue to its long-term development platform, provide Searles Valley’s operating capabilities, infrastructure and customer base, and support advancement of the Fort Cady boron project while potentially reducing the financing burden of developing Fort Cady on a standalone basis.
How does 5E describe the strategic fit between Searles Valley and Fort Cady?
5E described the assets as two complementary California operations, with Searles Valley contributing operating capabilities and infrastructure and Fort Cady providing a large-scale boron resource and long-term growth potential.
How can investors access the replay of the Water Tower Research Insights Conference session?
A replay of CEO Paul Weibel’s session is available by registration via the provided replay access link.
What is 5E Advanced Materials’ stated long-term mission and focus?
5E describes itself as a development-stage company aiming to become a vertically integrated global supplier of refined borates and advanced boron materials, complemented by calcium-based co-products and potential by-products such as lithium carbonate, serving industries tied to decarbonization, energy independence, food, national security and defense.