Visit highlights domestic rare earth production, technology, andworkforce development
EXETER, N.H. — Phoenix Tailings hosted Assistant Secretary of Energy AudreyRobertson, Acting Assistant Secretary for Hydrocarbons and Geothermal EnergyCurt Coccodrilli, and their teams on Friday at its commercial rare earthmetallization facility in Exeter, New Hampshire.
The facility converts rare earth oxides into metal, a critical stage inrebuilding America’s industrial supply chain and securing its technologicalfuture. One of the largest and most advanced rare earth metallizationfacilities in the free world, the Exeter operation demonstrates the importanceof combining technology, operational excellence, and skilled people tostrengthen domestic production.
“Nobody who ever did anything great did it alone. It’s the people aroundyou who make you great. This initiative brings more of those people together tosolve the challenge of supply chain security. Thank you to Assistant SecretaryRobertson and Acting Assistant Secretary Coccodrilli for their hard work toensure America retains its freedom,” said Nicholas Myers, CEO and Co-Founder ofPhoenix Tailings.
The Department of Energy has supported Phoenix Tailings from its earlyARPA-E funding, with support from Doug Wicks, through its previously announced$66 million HERALD grant to advance the processing of nontraditional rare earthfeeds such as monazite.
Founded before China’s recent rare earth export restrictions, Phoenixencountered a shortage of trained operators as it developed its technology.That experience shaped the company’s approach to making complex industrialprocesses easier to learn and run, including through its FactoryOS softwareplatform.
DOE’s new PROSPECT workforce training initiative addresses the broaderneed for skilled workers across the domestic critical minerals industry. ForPhoenix, expanding that workforce is essential to scaling American rare earthproduction and building a secure supply chain.