RareX Partners with USSM to Process Rare Earths from Cummins Range Project
RareX Limited has entered a strategic partnership with U.S. Strategic Metals to integrate Australian rare earth production with U.S. processing capabilities, aiming to strengthen allied critical minerals supply chains.
- Non-binding MOU signed between RareX and U.S. Strategic Metals
- Focus on processing RareX’s Cummins Range and potential Mrima Hill projects
- Collaboration aligns with U.S.–Australia critical minerals cooperation frameworks
- USSM’s Missouri facility offers multi-metallic processing capabilities
- Partnership targets strategic funding, technology development, and supply-chain integration
Strategic Partnership for Critical Minerals
RareX Limited (ASX – REE, REEO) has taken a significant step in advancing its critical minerals strategy by entering into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. Strategic Metals (USSM), a Missouri-based critical minerals processor. Signed in Washington DC and witnessed by U.S. Department of State officials, this partnership aims to bridge Australian rare earth production with American downstream processing and supply-chain development.
Leveraging Complementary Strengths
RareX brings to the table its 100% owned Cummins Range project in Western Australia, one of the country’s largest undeveloped rare earth deposits, rich in heavy rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium, as well as gallium and scandium. The company is also involved in the Mrima Hill project in Kenya through a consortium with Iluka Resources, positioning itself as a diversified supplier of critical minerals.
USSM, backed by Appian Capital, operates a fully permitted multi-metallic processing hub in Missouri, designed to handle complex sulfide ores and produce a range of strategic metals including cobalt, nickel, lithium, and rare earth elements. This facility is poised to become a cornerstone of U.S. domestic critical mineral production, supporting defense and advanced technology sectors.
Aligning with Geopolitical and Industrial Trends
The collaboration aligns closely with U.S. government initiatives, including Executive Order 14241 aimed at boosting American mineral production and reducing reliance on foreign sources, particularly China. It also reinforces the U.S.–Australia Framework for Securing Supply in Critical Minerals, reflecting a broader geopolitical push to establish secure, allied supply chains for essential materials.
RareX’s Managing Director James Durrant highlighted the natural synergy between Australia’s upstream mining capabilities and the U.S.’s downstream industrial base, emphasizing the partnership’s role in building transparent and reliable supply chains. USSM’s CEO Stacy Hastie echoed this sentiment, underscoring their commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainable processing technologies.
Next Steps and Market Implications
The two companies will form a working group to conduct feasibility and technical assessments at the Missouri facility, explore processing technologies suitable for RareX’s products, and pursue strategic funding opportunities. While the MOU is non-binding, it marks a foundational milestone that could materially influence RareX’s operational trajectory and the broader critical minerals landscape.
For investors and industry watchers, this partnership signals a tangible move toward integrated, Western-aligned critical minerals supply chains, potentially enhancing RareX’s market position and contributing to the resilience of allied industrial supply networks.
Bottom Line?
RareX’s alliance with USSM could redefine critical minerals supply chains, but execution and regulatory approvals remain key hurdles.
Questions in the middle?
- How will RareX’s Cummins Range project progress toward securing its mining license in early 2026?
- What specific processing technologies will be adopted at USSM’s Missouri facility for RareX’s minerals?
- How might geopolitical tensions influence the development and success of this Australia-U.S. partnership?
