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Texas Firm to Extract Rare Earths From Electronic Waste for Defense

The US Department of Defense has contracted Rare Resource Recycling (REEcycle) to extract rare earth minerals used in defense applications from electronic waste.

An existing demonstration facility will be restarted and a commercial facility will be commissioned in advance under the $5.1-million Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III award.

The commercial facility will have an estimated annual production capacity of 50 tons.

“REEcycle’s capabilities will help the United States become less dependent on foreign sources by extracting full value from material that would otherwise end up in landfills,” Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale said.

Rare Earth Minerals

The four rare earth elements targeted for recovery under the effort are neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium.

They impart essential properties to neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets, which are used in applications such as aircraft electric motors, missiles, submarines, and unmanned vehicles.

REEcycle’s proprietary processes recover over 98 percent of the four elements from electronic waste, the Houston-based firm said.

“By enabling REEcycle to recover critical materials from electronic waste, this award will support the DoD’s work to expand the supply of rare earths needed for the production of defense articles,” Director of the Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization directorate Anthony Di Stasio explained. 

“These awards are an essential tool for mitigating risks in the defense industrial base and reducing overreliance on foreign supplies.”

Supports National Defense Industrial Strategy

The commercial facility will allow REEcycle to establish itself as a merchant supplier for firms engaged in downstream metallization and magnet manufacturing.

This is the sixth award by the DPA Purchases Office, totaling $295.9 million, since the beginning of fiscal 2025.

It supports the 2024 National Defense Industrial Strategy’s objective to expand domestic production of critical minerals through increased supply chain resilience.

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