ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Phoenix Tailings today announced it has selected Eastman Business Park in Rochester, NY, for Freedom Separation, a commercial-scale facility that will convert a diverse range of mixed rare earth feedstocks into separated oxides for domestic rare earth metal production. The facility is part of the company’s $1.2 billion-plus Freedom Project, an integrated separation-and-metallization platform designed to close a critical gap in U.S. midstream rare earth processing capacity.
Freedom Separation will process both mined and recycled rare earth feedstocks, giving Phoenix flexibility in its source of supply. At full capacity, it is expected to be one of the largest rare earth separation operations in the world, processing more than 18,000 tons per year of variable rare earth feedstock and producing more than 4,400 tons per year of separated rare earth oxides. Production starts ramping in 2027, with full production slated for 2028.
Selected after a nationwide search, Eastman Business Park combines the industrial infrastructure Phoenix’s process requires with Rochester’s skilled workforce in engineering, advanced manufacturing, chemical processing and plant operations.
“My grandfather, Nicholas Sfikas, started Rochester 100 Inc. just 15 minutes from the site of our new facility. Growing up watching him build his amazing company, and having worked on the factory floor myself, I know firsthand the depth of talent and manufacturing expertise in Rochester,”said Phoenix Tailings CEO and co-founder Nick Myers. “Technology can give America control over its critical supply chains, but it takes skilled, determined people to turn that promise into production. Rochester has those people. They know how to build, how to innovate, and how to run world-class industrial operations. I am proud that Phoenix will build the future of American rare earth processing here.”
When fully operational, the Rochester separation facility willsupport more than 200 direct New York jobs, including 90 at launch. Overall, the Freedom separation-and-metallization platform is expected to support over 500 jobs across facilities in New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, plus a future location.
“I am committed to supporting innovative projects andcompanies that are ready to invest in New York and bring good-paying jobs,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “Phoenix Tailings will not only create at least 90 new jobs at Eastman Business Park, further supporting our state’s innovation economy, but they will also play a critical role in bolstering our national security by building a supply chain for rare earth elements in New York, reducing reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals.”
The Freedom Project secured a $500 million conditional loan commitment from the Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital under the Trump administration. Support from Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer builds on that federal commitment, bringing bipartisan backing to the expansion of America’s domestic rare earth processing capacity.
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said, “I’m proud to welcome Phoenix Tailings to the Rochester-Finger Lakes region. This new investment will bring rare earth mineral manufacturing operations, along with at least 90 new, good-paying jobs, to Eastman Business Park. This is critical for reducing our reliance on foreign processors and protecting our national security. I’ve long championed Eastman Business Park as a hub for manufacturing and am glad that new companies are recognizing what I have long known: Upstate New York is a prime destination for new manufacturing investments. I am grateful for Governor Hochul’s partnership welcoming new investments to the state.”
About Phoenix Tailings
Phoenix Tailings is building the world's most advanced rare earth and critical minerals manufacturing platform. The company combines breakthrough chemistry, industrial hardware, and digital infrastructure to produce the materials that power modern technology. By rebuilding domestic separation, refining, and metal production capabilities, Phoenix Tailings is strengthening America's industrial base, securing critical supply chains, and accelerating the future of advanced manufacturing.