Western Rare Earths Announces Team Membership in Critical Materials Institute

American Rare Earths Limited, an exploration and technology company focused on the development of rare earth and scandium assets, announced that its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, Western Rare Earths (WRE), has been named a team member of the highly respected Critical Materials Institute (CMI). The company's assets have the potential to become some of the largest rare earth deposits in the United States.

The Critical Materials Institute is a multi-institutional, multidisciplinary consortium led by Ames Laboratory. CMI is an Energy Innovation Center of the U.S. Department of Energy. It focuses on innovation to secure the supply chain for materials critical to clean energy technologies, with a particular focus on the U.S. rare earth supply chain.

These key materials are critical to U.S. competitiveness in the clean energy sector, including wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles, and energy-efficient lighting. The department's Critical Materials Strategy report says the availability of five rare earth metals could affect the deployment of clean energy technologies in the coming years.

CMI is a public/private partnership, led by Ames Laboratory, that brings together the best and brightest researchers from universities, national laboratories, and the private sector. Its common goal is to find innovative technological solutions to help avoid supply shortages that threaten the U.S. clean energy industry as well as security interests.

Strategic goals for team members include the opportunity to drive R&D, select licensed technologies for deployment, and provide input to CMI's research programs.

CMI team members have entered into research subcontracts with CMI or provided cost-share funding. Requirements include the delivery of specific research project deliverables within the entity's area of expertise, based on the scope of work and negotiated budget (including applicable cost-sharing).

Western Rare Earths was invited to become a CMI team member because it is a cost-share co-applicant for the recently approved CMI R&D program, which is expected to be announced in early 2022. The project includes other CMI team members in the national laboratory and university categories as principal investigators, while Western Rare Earths provides raw materials, rare earth ores for beneficiation and industry guidance.

Western Rare Earths, Inc. is an exploration company focused on developing its rare earth and scandium assets, which have the potential to become some of the largest rare earth deposits in the U.S. WRE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Rare Earths, Inc. The company will provide key materials for the future of renewable energy, green technology, electric vehicles, national security, and carbon reduction.