American Rare Earths Defines Three-Stage Pilot Plant Pathway for Halleck Creek Project

Pilot Plant Execution Plan Combines US and Canadian Facilities

American Rare Earths (ASX:ARR) has detailed the next phase of its pilot plant program for the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming, aiming to accelerate the production of pre-production rare earth oxide. The company will conduct initial milling and mineral separation stages in Wyoming, leveraging facilities at Western Research Institute in Laramie and DISA Technologies in Casper. The final stage, involving hydrometallurgical processing and oxide refining, will be undertaken at the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) in Saskatoon, Canada.

This approach builds on the pilot plant pathway announced earlier in April 2026 and is designed to keep early processing close to the ore source and the company’s operating base, while utilising a proven downstream facility to expedite the production of high-purity separated rare earth oxide. The staged program comprises milling and sizing, mineral separation and concentration, and leaching with impurity removal and oxide refining.

Innovative Technologies and Experienced Leadership

At DISA’s Casper facility, the pilot plant will employ the patented High-Pressure Slurry Ablation (HPSA) technology to enhance mineral liberation at coarser particle sizes, followed by GradePro reflux classifiers and Induced Roll Magnetic Separators to produce an allanite-rich mineral concentrate. This concentrate will then be shipped to SRC for the final processing stage, which will be engineered in collaboration with Tetra Tech based on the project’s pre-feasibility study flowsheet.

American Rare Earths has appointed metallurgical engineer Jaye T. Pickarts, P.E., to lead the pilot plant process. Mr. Pickarts brings over 40 years of experience in rare earth project development, including roles in demonstration plants and Wyoming-based operations, which is expected to help integrate and de-risk the pilot circuit execution.

Strategic Implications and Project Advancement

CEO Mark Wall described the pilot plant pathway as a "massive step forward" that materially shortens the timeline for producing pre-production rare earth oxide, positioning the company to deliver outcomes within months rather than years. This development aligns with the company’s focus on advancing the largest domestic rare earth resource in the United States towards production.

By combining Wyoming-based front-end processing with established downstream refining infrastructure in Canada, American Rare Earths aims to validate its broader process flowsheet, generate material for further evaluation, and support strategic engagement. The staged approach is also intended to reduce execution risk by utilising existing facilities, specialised operators, and equipment already installed or ordered, while maintaining the long-term goal of developing a fully Wyoming-based rare earth project.

This announcement follows the company’s recent milestone of producing mixed rare earth oxides and updating its resource estimate for the Halleck Creek project, which strengthened its position as a potential major U.S. rare earth supplier American Rare Earths Hits Milestone with Oxide Production and Resource Upgrade.