U.S. Rare Earths has signed two commercial patent license agreements with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The first is a global exclusive deal to use the membrane assisted solvent extraction for rare earths technology (MSX technology) to recover and separate neodymium, dysprosium and praseodymium from electronic E-waste.
The second is a non-exclusive agreement to utilize MSX Technology with plans to separate REEs from their claims in the US.
Both the deals were signed between UT-Battelle (licensor) and U.S. Rare Earths (licensee).
UT-Battelle is a limited liability partnership between the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute. It manages and operates the Oak Ridge National Laboratory under contract with the US Department of Energy.
U.S. Rare Earths CEO Kevin Cassidy said: "We initially entered in discussions with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory after receiving approval from the U.S. Forest Service to reopen the northern adit and access a stockpile of material located on USRE-held mining claims.
"Our Last Chance Mine stockpile contains several tons of highly concentrated rare earths material and offers a short term domestic supply of rare earths so we were motivated to secure a cost effective way to provide a competitive source of technology metals.
"Based on conversations around our mutual commitment to U.S. sustainability, we agreed that the recycling of electronic E-waste will provide a competitive source of Neodymium, Dysprosium and Praseodymium for growing the cleantech sector including electric vehicles."
U.S. Rare Earths has about 25,000 acres of mining claims in Idaho, Montana and Colorado.