White Mesa heavy rare earth oxides by Energy Fuels Inc: status and timeline

Milestones

Next · Phase 1: Commercial Tb and Dy production ramp

First kilogram of 99.9% terbium oxide producedMar 2026Complete.
Nearly 30 kg of 99.9% dysprosium oxide produced (cumulative to date)Mar 2026Complete.
Terbium production pilot rate reaches 1 kg/week2026Complete.
Phase 1: Commercial Tb and Dy production rampTarget Q4 2027Not yet reached.
Phase 1: Sm, Eu, Gd circuit expansionTarget Q1 2028Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Energy Fuels begins Phase 1 expansion at White Mesa Mill for commercial heavy rare earth oxide productionJul 2026
Energy Fuels produces first kilogram of 99.9% pure terbium oxide at White Mesa Mill, ending decades-long US supply gapMar 2026

Upcoming

2026US government critical mineral initiatives (next)
Q4 2027Phase 1: Commercial Tb and Dy production ramp
Q1 2028Phase 1: Sm, Eu, Gd circuit expansion

Current obstacles

Scale-up separation chemistryBatch pilot (1 kg/week) to continuous production (35 t/yr) differ in corrosion, automation, waste handling.
Monazite supply chainMonazite is a byproduct, not a primary ore, so supply is irregular. Energy Fuels must develop long-term domestic and allied suppliers.
Thorium-radium waste handlingMonazite yields Th-230 and Ra-226 residues. White Mesa is uranium-licensed but must validate Th-Ra waste meets regulatory standards.

Physics limits

Monazite compositionMonazite's rare-earth distribution is fixed by geology. It is rich in dysprosium and terbium but poor in light rare earths (neodymium, praseodymium), so Energy Fuels cannot produce those efficiently from monazite alone.
Radioactive feedstock handlingProcessing radioactive ore requires a nuclear license and safety infrastructure. Few US mills can do this, but also means Energy Fuels has a defensible niche.

How it works

3 parts

Monazite source

Radioactive ore feedstock

Monazite: 3–5% rare earth oxides plus thorium and radium; radioactive byproduct of heavy-sands mining in Florida and Georgia.

Acid leaching

Dissolve rare earths and actinides

Monazite leached with sulfuric acid to dissolve rare earths, thorium, radium. Well-established in rare-earth processing.

Separation and purification

Isolate heavy rare earths

Solvent extraction and precipitation separate Dy, Tb from light rare earths and actinides. Final calcination produces high-purity oxides.

Spec sheet

Spec	White Mesa heavy rare earth oxides
Terbium oxide purity	99.9%^R (reported)
Dysprosium oxide purity	99.9%^R (reported)
Pilot-scale terbium production rate	1 kg/week^R (reported)
Dysprosium target (Phase 1)	~35 tonnes/year^R (reported)
Terbium target (Phase 1)	~12 tonnes/year^R (reported)
Phase 2 NdPr capacity	~6,300 tonnes/year^R (reported)
Phase 2 terbium capacity	~80 tonnes/year^R (reported)
Phase 2 dysprosium capacity	~288 tonnes/year^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Jul 2026

Major: Energy Fuels begins Phase 1 expansion at White Mesa Mill for commercial heavy rare earth oxide productionPressManufacturing

Mar 2026

Major: Energy Fuels produces first kilogram of 99.9% pure terbium oxide at White Mesa Mill, ending decades-long US supply gapPressManufacturing

About Energy Fuels Inc

The team behind White Mesa heavy rare earth oxides

Energy Fuels Inc

Uranium, rare earth, monazite, dysprosium, terbium

Mining company specializing in uranium and rare earth elements. Operates White Mesa Mill in Utah, the only US conventional uranium mill. In 2026, achieved first US mine-to-oxide production of heavy rare earths (dysprosium, terbium) in decades.

White Mesa Mill is the only US facility licensed to process radioactive monazite ore.
March 2026: first kg of 99.9% terbium oxide, 30 kg dysprosium oxide; ends decades of zero US production.
Expansion targets commercial heavy rare earth oxides by end-2027 (Dy, Tb); samarium, europium by 2028.

energyfuels.com (opens energyfuels.com)Company profile →

Founded: 200620 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Public
Valuation: public
Works in: MaterialsLithium & critical minerals
Coverage: 1 program · 2 updateslatest 1 Jul 2026checked 11 Oct
Partners: US Department of Energy (opens energy.gov)

Spec

White Mesa heavy rare earth oxides

Terbium oxide purity

99.9%^R (reported)

Dysprosium oxide purity

99.9%^R (reported)

Pilot-scale terbium production rate

1 kg/week^R (reported)

Dysprosium target (Phase 1)

~35 tonnes/year^R (reported)

Terbium target (Phase 1)

~12 tonnes/year^R (reported)

Phase 2 NdPr capacity

~6,300 tonnes/year^R (reported)

Phase 2 terbium capacity

~80 tonnes/year^R (reported)

Phase 2 dysprosium capacity

~288 tonnes/year^R (reported)