# Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex by Ucore Rare Metals

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/materials/louisiana-smc
Frontier: [Materials](https://technooptimist.io/materials.md) · Field: Rare-earth mining & refining · Company: [Ucore Rare Metals](https://technooptimist.io/companies/ucore-rare-metals.md)
Stage: Pilot (3 of 5: Research → Proto → Pilot → Deploy → Scaling)
Updated: last update 2026-08-05, facts checked 2026-10-11
Goal: Create a US source of separated rare-earth oxides, especially the heavy ones China restricts, with a separation method that is smaller and quicker to build than conventional solvent-extraction plants.
Status: First 600 t/yr machine in detailed design; commissioning now H1 2027, slipped from a late-2025 start.
Next milestone: Machine A installed and commissioned (600 t/yr), target 2027 (slipped 15 months; originally Q4 2025)

## Milestones

| Status | Milestone | Date | Slip |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Done | RapidSX demonstration plant starts in Kingston, Ontario | Dec 2023 |   |
| Done | Department of War adds US$18.4M for first commercial machine | Jul 2025 |   |
| Done | MoU to supply NdPr and Dy oxide to Vulcan Elements | Mar 2026 |   |
| Done | Engineering report: Machine A plus three ~3,000 t/yr lines | May 2026 |   |
| Done | Contactor scale-up up to 24-inch verified | Aug 2026 |   |
| Current | Machine A installed and commissioned (600 t/yr) | 2027 | +15 mo (originally Q4 2025) |
| Planned | Commercial supply to Vulcan Elements | 2027 |   |
| Planned | Production Line 1 (~3,000 t/yr) |   |   |

## Upcoming events

- **2027**: Machine A installed and commissioned (600 t/yr) (slipped 15 mo)
- **2027**: Commercial supply to Vulcan Elements
- **1 Jan 2027**: New US sourcing restrictions on rare-earth materials take effect

## Most important updates

- **5 Aug 2026**: Ucore verifies RapidSX contactor scale-up to 24 inches for Louisiana. Ucore finished a 12-month test campaign scaling its RapidSX contactors from the 4-inch demo size up to a 24-inch design for Louisiana. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/ucore-verifies-rapidsx-contactor-scale-up-to-24-inches-for-louisiana-de5594bd.md) · [original source](https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/308111/Ucore-Verifies-Louisiana-RapidSXTM-Equipment-ScaleUp-Configurations))
- **28 May 2026**: Ucore engineering report resets Louisiana plan: 600 t/yr Machine A, three lines, ~9,600 t/yr target. An engineering report led by Orbital Engineering reshaped the Louisiana plant into one enlarged first machine of about 600 t/yr plus three RapidSX production lines of about 3,000 t/yr each, dropping a planned fourth line. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/ucore-engineering-report-resets-louisiana-plan-600-t-yr-machine-a-three-9cbf9306.md) · [original source](https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/299208))
- **24 Mar 2026**: Ucore and Vulcan Elements sign MoU for Louisiana rare-earth oxides to feed US magnet plants. Ucore and magnet maker Vulcan Elements signed a memorandum of understanding under which Ucore intends to make part of its Louisiana output of NdPr and dysprosium oxides available to Vulcan from 2027. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/ucore-and-vulcan-elements-sign-mou-for-louisiana-rare-earth-oxides-to-600cecc1.md) · [original source](https://old.ucore.com/ucore-and-vulcan-elements-join-forces-to-build-domestic-rare-earth-magnet-supply-chain-for-defense-and-commercial-applications/))
- **11 Dec 2025**: Ucore readies Louisiana heavy rare-earth processing under its US Department of War agreement. Ucore reported progress moving its RapidSX technology from the Kingston, Ontario demonstration plant to Louisiana under a US$22.4 million Department of War agreement. ([our story](https://technooptimist.io/stories/ucore-readies-louisiana-heavy-rare-earth-processing-under-its-us-75bceb24.md) · [original source](https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/277748/Ucore-Readies-for-Louisiana-2026-Heavy-Rare-Earth-Element-Processing))

## Current obstacles

- **Repeated schedule slips**: Commissioning was due by Q4 2025 with commercial output in H1 2026; the first machine is now set for H1 2027 and later lines have no firm dates.
- **Feedstock and offtake still non-binding**: Supply deals, including with Vulcan Elements, are MoUs; the plant needs firm contracts for heavy rare-earth feed and buyers.

## Physics limits

- **Rare earths are chemically near-twins**: Neighbouring rare earths differ by one electron in an inner shell, so each extraction step separates them only slightly; plants need dozens to hundreds of stages and tight control.
- **Heavy rare earths are scarce in ore**: Most deposits are dominated by light rare earths; dysprosium and terbium make up a tiny share, so heavy-oxide output is limited by suitable feed, not by separation capacity.

## How it works

### Feed: Mixed rare-earth material

Mixed rare-earth concentrates from mines and recycled magnets arrive with up to 15 near-identical elements still together.

### RapidSX: Solvent extraction, compacted

Same chemistry as conventional solvent extraction (an organic liquid pulls some elements from water), but in compact contactors instead of big tanks.

### Stages: Many small steps in series

Each stage shifts the mix only slightly, so Machine A strings about 118 stages together to separate light, mid and heavy rare earths.

### Oxides: Separated products

Outputs include NdPr, samarium-europium-gadolinium, dysprosium and terbium, finished into oxides on site.

## Spec sheet

| Spec | Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex | Provenance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Machine A capacity | ~600 t/yr rare-earth oxides | reported |
| Planned site capacity | ~9,600 t/yr rare-earth oxides | reported |
| Machine A stages | ~118 | reported |
| Capex: Machine A + Line 1 + oxide plant | US$135 million | reported |
| Demo plant runtime | 7,400+ hours | reported |
| Department of War addition | US$18.4 million | reported |
| Speed vs conventional SX | 2-4x faster (company claim) | reported |

Provenance: reported = stated by the company; estimated = our estimate; sample = a sample figure.

## About Ucore Rare Metals

Canadian company building a rare-earth separation plant in Alexandria, Louisiana, using RapidSX, its compact form of solvent extraction, with funding from the US Department of War.

- Building the Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex: a 600 t/yr first machine, then up to ~9,600 t/yr of rare-earth oxides.
- Its RapidSX demo plant in Kingston, Ontario has run 7,400+ hours and made NdPr, Dy, Tb, Sm and Gd products.
- First-machine start has slipped from late 2025 to the first half of 2027.

- Headquarters: CA
- Status: public
- Website: https://ucore.com
- People: Pat Ryan (Chairman and CEO); Mike Schrider (VP and Chief Operating Officer)
- Partners, customers, investors: Vulcan Elements (customer); US Department of War (partner); Orbital Engineering (partner)

Company page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/ucore-rare-metals.md

## Related programs

Everything in Materials: https://technooptimist.io/materials.md

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