Cyclic Materials to invest $25m in rare earth recycling centre in Ontario
Cyclic Materials has announced a $25m (C$34.04m) investment to establish a rare earth recycling facility in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
The new Kingston Centre of Excellence is claimed to be North America's first Centre of Excellence for rare earth recycling.
The facility, spanning more than 140,000ft², will combine full-scale commercial processing with research and development (R&D) to address the resilient sourcing of rare earth elements (REEs).
The centre will feature Cyclic Materials' first commercial hub processing unit, using the company's proprietary REEPure technology. It is designed to convert 500 tonnes per annum of magnet-rich feedstock into recycled mixed rare earth oxide (rMREO).
The facility will play a crucial role in providing components for permanent magnets used in various technologies.
The rMREO produced will supply key partners within the magnet value chain, including Solvay, under a previously signed offtake agreement in 2024. This will offer a secondary resource of critical REEs to the industry.
Operations at the centre are expected to commence in the first quarter of 2026, and the project is set to create 45 new skilled jobs.
Additionally, the site will house an advanced R&D centre, equipped with labs and a mini-Spoke line, to further process optimisation and scale next-generation technologies.
Cyclic Materials CEO Ahmad Ghahreman said: 'With this Centre of Excellence, we are advancing our core mission: to secure the most critical elements of the energy transition through circular innovation.
'Kingston is where Cyclic began – and now it is where we are anchoring our commercial future.'
This initiative comes at a time when less than 1% of REEs are recycled globally, with supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and supply concentration.
Cyclic Materials' MagCycle and REEPure technologies are designed to recover REEs from end-of-life products, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional mining and contributing to domestic supply security.
The Centre of Excellence will also leverage partnerships with Queen's University, Kingston Process Metallurgy, RXN Hub and Impact Chemistry, supported by national innovation programmes.
Kingston Economic Development Corporation director of business Shelley Hirstwood said: 'We are thrilled to see Cyclic Materials' significant investment to establish their Centre of Excellence and Hub in Kingston, Ontario. This announcement not only creates high-quality jobs in the community but is a reflection of the expertise, talent and supportive ecosystem Kingston has to offer companies.
'We are proud to support Cyclic Materials' efforts to create a circular supply chain addressing Canada's critical minerals and rare earth elements."
"Cyclic Materials to invest $25m in rare earth recycling centre in Ontario" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
2 days ago
- CNBC
China's tight grip on rare earths shows little sign of weakening
China's dominance of the global rare earths supply chain won't dwindle easily, even if Beijing decides to approve more export licenses through deals with Europe and the U.S. Three Shenzhen-listed Chinese companies this month said that Beijing approved their exports of magnets with rare earths — metals critical for cars, defense, semiconductors and other industrial products. But another firm, Baotou INST Magnetic New Materials, said last month the export licenses can only be used for one shipment. In Europe, automotive industry groups have said that, in the case of magnets and heavy rare earths, long-term export licenses from China were only valid for a maximum of six months. Diversifying away from Chinese sourcing of rare earths is likely to be "extremely difficult" and, at best, a limited long-term solution, according to a Tuesday note from Rico Luman, senior sector economist for transport and logistics at Dutch bank ING. China is the undisputed leader of the critical minerals supply chain, producing roughly 60% of the world's supply of rare earths and processing almost 90%, which means it is importing these materials from other countries and refining them. "Europe currently produces no rare earths, and the U.S. has only recently begun small-scale production of neodymium and praseodymium. However, both regions hold only a fraction of global reserves, limiting their ability to scale up," Luman said. Already, European automakers and U.S. high-tech businesses in China have halted production or warned of a shortage this summer. China announced export controls on seven rare earths in early April, following a series of tighter restrictions in the last two years on a broad range of critical minerals. Washington had expected a rollback of the April controls once the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day tariff reprieve in mid-May. After trade talks in London this week, U.S. officials indicated Beijing will soon allow more rare earths exports. China has approved "a certain number" of export permits for rare earth elements and related items, a spokesperson for the commerce ministry said Thursday, adding that China will continue to step up examination and approval for such license applications. This has yet to significantly improve business conditions. The market remains "volatile" even after the U.S.-China trade negotiations in London, said Philippe Kehren, CEO of Belgian chemicals group Solvay, which operates the largest rare earths processing plant outside of China in La Rochelle, France. In response to that unpredictability, he said the company is using recycled material and studying sourcing alternatives to China. "This is how we adjust to the current, unpredictable situation and I think the best mitigation in this type of circumstance is indeed to master the technology," Kehren said. Solvay aims to supply 30% of Europe's processed rare earth demand for permanent magnets by 2030. Beijing will likely keep up its restrictions on rare earths to deter Washington from ratcheting up restrictions on high tech exports to China, said Dennis Wilder, a former senior White House intelligence official. "If new export controls [against China] are implemented, China may pull back again from the rare earth understanding," said Wilder. Gabriel Wildau, managing director at risk consultancy Teneo, echoed the view and warned that even as Beijing signaled a willingness to ease rare earth exports, "supply cutoffs will remain an ever-present threat." Beijing has made the licensing regime "permanent," despite perceptions that it was an "act of retaliation" amid tit-for-tat escalation with the U.S., Wildau noted. That would allow China to deter stockpiling of the critical mineral by U.S. firms and ensure its negotiating leverage remains undiminished, he added. "Firms now have no choice but to invest in and develop alternative sources, substitutes, and re-export solutions to hedge against the risk of a supply loss from China," said Matt Gertken, senior vice president at BCA Research. That's easier said than done, as China has built up control over vast amounts of global supply chains. In batteries, for example, China has mined 68% of the graphite needed, refined 60% of the world's lithium and 72% of cobalt used globally, according to a U.S. Congressional report citing data from 2019. In a sign of the challenge for global businesses to shake off reliance on Chinese rare-earth supplies, several automakers, including General Motors and BMW and major suppliers, have been developing electric vehicles with little to no rare-earth content. Few have managed to scale production to levels that could reduce costs. Automakers will have to "operate two ecosystems: one exclusively for China in China, and one outside of China," said Lei Xing, an independent analyst on China's auto industry. Separately, Lewis Black, CEO of Almonty Industries, said it's going to take "a significant amount of time" to find alternatives to China's supply of rare earths. Speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Friday, Black said China has protected its market share by pushing prices down to levels at which other countries' companies went out of business and investors weren't incentivized to pour in capital. Late last year, China increased restrictions on exports of civilian-use products deemed likely to end up having military use. The rules aren't bounded by geographical location, meaning they could cover any Chinese transaction with a foreign entity or individual, pointed out law firm Morrison Foerster. In February, China then announced export controls on five critical minerals, including tungsten, an extremely hard metal used for precision cutting tools, weapons and semiconductor production. The country controls 80% of the tungsten supply chain. Last week, a European company that needs tungsten powder shut down for a week, said Oliver Kleinhempel, executive director of EQ Resources, which says it is one of the top two tungsten recycling companies. He warned of a "complete structural shift" if Western businesses that consume tungsten are forced to shut down, incentivizing their Chinese peers to take that market share. Almonty Industries is working to reopen a large tungsten mine this year in South Korea, but the company expects its supply of the metal will only be able to satisfy U.S., EU and South Korean defense needs. "This was always going to happen, it was inevitable, it was not something that caught anyone by surprise until it happened, and then everyone['s question] was: 'What do we do?'" Black said. He said he is hopeful that the company's tungsten lab can make progress in the next two years on recovering more of the metal from tailings currently wasted in production.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Cyclic Materials to invest $25m in rare earth recycling centre in Ontario
Cyclic Materials has announced a $25m (C$34.04m) investment to establish a rare earth recycling facility in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The new Kingston Centre of Excellence is claimed to be North America's first Centre of Excellence for rare earth recycling. The facility, spanning more than 140,000ft², will combine full-scale commercial processing with research and development (R&D) to address the resilient sourcing of rare earth elements (REEs). The centre will feature Cyclic Materials' first commercial hub processing unit, using the company's proprietary REEPure technology. It is designed to convert 500 tonnes per annum of magnet-rich feedstock into recycled mixed rare earth oxide (rMREO). The facility will play a crucial role in providing components for permanent magnets used in various technologies. The rMREO produced will supply key partners within the magnet value chain, including Solvay, under a previously signed offtake agreement in 2024. This will offer a secondary resource of critical REEs to the industry. Operations at the centre are expected to commence in the first quarter of 2026, and the project is set to create 45 new skilled jobs. Additionally, the site will house an advanced R&D centre, equipped with labs and a mini-Spoke line, to further process optimisation and scale next-generation technologies. Cyclic Materials CEO Ahmad Ghahreman said: 'With this Centre of Excellence, we are advancing our core mission: to secure the most critical elements of the energy transition through circular innovation. 'Kingston is where Cyclic began – and now it is where we are anchoring our commercial future.' This initiative comes at a time when less than 1% of REEs are recycled globally, with supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and supply concentration. Cyclic Materials' MagCycle and REEPure technologies are designed to recover REEs from end-of-life products, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional mining and contributing to domestic supply security. The Centre of Excellence will also leverage partnerships with Queen's University, Kingston Process Metallurgy, RXN Hub and Impact Chemistry, supported by national innovation programmes. Kingston Economic Development Corporation director of business Shelley Hirstwood said: 'We are thrilled to see Cyclic Materials' significant investment to establish their Centre of Excellence and Hub in Kingston, Ontario. This announcement not only creates high-quality jobs in the community but is a reflection of the expertise, talent and supportive ecosystem Kingston has to offer companies. 'We are proud to support Cyclic Materials' efforts to create a circular supply chain addressing Canada's critical minerals and rare earth elements." "Cyclic Materials to invest $25m in rare earth recycling centre in Ontario" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business Wire
Cyclic Materials Announces USD $25M Investment to Establish Centre of Excellence for Rare Earth Recycling in Kingston, Ontario
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cyclic Materials, the advanced recycling company building a circular supply chain for rare earth elements (REEs), today announced a USD $25 million investment to launch North America's first Centre of Excellence for rare earth recycling in Kingston, Ontario, which will result in 45 new skilled jobs in the region. Spanning over 140,000 square feet, the first-of-its-kind facility will serve as Cyclic's industrial and innovation backbone, combining full-scale commercial processing and cutting-edge research and development (R&D) to address one of the world's most pressing supply chain challenges: the resilient sourcing of rare earth elements for use in permanent magnets. A Strategic Facility Serving a Circular Future The Kingston Centre of Excellence will house Cyclic Materials' first commercial 'Hub' processing unit, leveraging the company's proprietary REEPure SM technology. The facility is designed to convert 500 tonnes of magnet-rich feedstock annually into recycled Mixed Rare Earth Oxide (rMREO)—a product containing crucial components for permanent magnets used in EV motors, wind turbines, and consumer electronics such as Neodymium, Praseodymium, Terbium, and Dysprosium. Feedstock for this facility will be sourced from both Cyclic's Arizona-based 'Spoke', where end-of-life products will be processed, as well as a growing network of partners supplying magnet scrap from production. With operations set to begin in Q1 2026, rMREO from this facility will supply key partners within the magnet value chain, like Solvay, with whom Cyclic Materials signed an offtake agreement in 2024, providing a secondary resource of critical rare earth elements. The site will also house a state-of-the-art R&D center, including advanced labs and a mini-Spoke line, to accelerate process optimization and scale next-generation technologies across the rare earth value chain. Breaking Global Dependency with Local Innovation Today, less than 1% of rare earth elements are recycled, and global supply chains remain highly sensitive to growing geopolitical tensions and supply concentration. Cyclic Materials' proprietary MagCycle℠ and REEPure℠ technologies recover REEs from end-of-life products such as EVs, wind turbines, and data center hard drives—delivering a low-footprint, circular alternative to mining and a fast track to domestic supply security. 'With this Centre of Excellence, we're advancing our core mission: to secure the most critical elements of the energy transition through circular innovation,' said Ahmad Ghahreman, CEO of Cyclic Materials. 'Kingston is where Cyclic began—and now it's where we're anchoring our commercial future.' Kingston: The Cornerstone for the Next Generation of Cleantech Kingston has played a foundational role in the company's success—home to its commercial demonstration facilities and a deep bench of collaborators in research, engineering, and cleantech. The Centre of Excellence will build on robust partnerships with Queen's University, Kingston Process Metallurgy (KPM), RXN Hub, and Impact Chemistry, as well as support from national innovation programs including CMRDD (Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration) from Natural Resources Canada, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), and the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP). The facility is expected to create over 45 highly qualified new jobs, with more than 20 hires already onboard. Recruitment has already started with key roles for plant operators, process technicians, and innovation staff. "We are thrilled to see Cyclic Materials' significant investment to establish their Centre of Excellence and Hub in Kingston, Ontario. This announcement not only creates high-quality jobs in the community but is a reflection of the expertise, talent, and supportive ecosystem Kingston has to offer companies,' said Shelley Hirstwood, Director of Business Development at Kingston Economic Development Corporation. 'We are proud to support Cyclic Materials' efforts to create a circular supply chain addressing Canada's critical minerals and rare earth elements." Scaling a North American Rare Earth Recycling Network This investment marks a pivotal step in Cyclic Materials' broader plan to scale its rare earth recycling infrastructure across North America and Europe. With strategic alliances including Solvay, Glencore, Lime, and Sims Lifecycle Solutions, the company is building a resilient, sustainable, and circular ecosystem for rare earth magnets—supporting the electrification of industries and the secure supply of critical materials. About Cyclic Materials Cyclic Materials, founded in 2021, is a cleantech company building a circular supply chain for rare earth elements (REEs) and other critical materials essential to the clean energy transition. Its innovative technology transforms end-of-life products into valuable raw materials used in EVs, wind turbines, and electronics. In 2023, the company launched a commercial demo facility using its MagCycle℠ process to recover rare earth magnets. In 2024, it opened a second facility in Kingston, Ontario, producing Mixed Rare Earth Oxide via its REEPure℠ hydrometallurgical process. With demand for REE-based magnets surging, Cyclic Materials is scaling globally across North America, Europe, and Asia. Mesa, Arizona, is its first U.S. location. In recognition of its pioneering work, it was named the #8 Most Innovative company in North America by Fast Company in 2025. Learn more at
