Aclara Resources has completed basic engineering for its planned US$494 million heavy rare earths separation facility in Louisiana, marking a major step toward establishing a US-based processing platform aimed at reducing reliance on Chinese-controlled supplies of critical rare earth materials.
The company said site preparation for Project Dynamo is targeted to begin in the first quarter of 2027, subject to financing and other customary conditions, with construction completion targeted for the second half of 2028.
Developed with engineering partner Hatch Ltd., the facility will process super-pure mixed rare earth carbonate (SPREC) from Aclara's planned ionic clay projects in Brazil and Chile into six high-purity products: dysprosium, terbium, yttrium, gadolinium, samarium and neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr).
The expanded project is designed to supply rare earth materials used in permanent magnets, electric mobility, robotics, drones, power generation, aerospace and other advanced applications. Its planned output includes heavy rare earths dysprosium and terbium, which are subject to Chinese export controls.
Aclara has expanded Project Dynamo beyond its original focus on dysprosium and terbium separation, adding dedicated production circuits for yttrium, gadolinium and samarium to address growing demand and supply constraints.
The revised design increases the number of mixer-settlers from 340 to 478 and is expected to deliver approximately 157% more total separated oxide production.
At targeted life-of-project average production rates, the facility is designed to produce approximately: 200 tonnes per year of dysprosium oxide, up from 140 tonnes. 35 tonnes per year of terbium oxide, up from 25 tonnes. 1,350 tonnes per year of yttrium oxide, newly added to the production slate. 180 tonnes per year of gadolinium oxide, newly added. 190 tonnes per year of samarium oxide, newly added. 1,300 tonnes per year of NdPr oxide, up from 1,100 tonnes.
These production estimates are based on the targeted average output of Aclara's Carina Project in Brazil and Penco Module in Chile, both of which are intended to supply feedstock to the Louisiana facility.
The company also reported improved projected metallurgical recoveries for several products. Estimated recovery rates have risen to 97.9% for dysprosium, 97.7% for terbium and 98.9% for NdPr, compared with 95% previously estimated for each. Targeted product purities range from 99.5% to 99.9%, depending on the element.
The completion of basic engineering establishes a more detailed cost and execution framework for Project Dynamo, but also raises the estimated construction capital requirement to approximately US$494 million.
The new AACE International Class 3 estimate compares with the earlier conceptual estimate of US$277 million. Aclara attributed the increase primarily to higher processing capacity for feed from the Penco Module, the addition of three separation circuits and the greater level of engineering definition.
The company said all major equipment packages have received supplier quotations. Approximately 86% of equipment packages and 100% of electrical packages are expected to be procured in the United States.
Despite the higher capital estimate, projected operating costs have fallen by approximately 32%, to US$26 per kilogram of oxide produced on a life-of-project average basis, excluding SPREC feedstock costs. The previous conceptual estimate was US$38 per kilogram.
