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| Ucore rare earth offtake |
10-year agreement strengthens U.S. supply chain for critical minerals
Ucore Rare Metals has signed a 10-year offtake agreement with Critical Metals Corp. to supply heavy rare earth concentrates to its Louisiana processing plant. The focus keyphrase, Ucore rare earth offtake, reflects a pivotal supply chain milestone in U.S. efforts to reduce dependency on Chinese rare earths.
Greenland’s Tanbreez to supply up to 10,000 tonnes annually
Under the agreement, Critical Metals will supply up to 10,000 tonnes of rare earth concentrates each year from its Tanbreez project in Greenland. This deposit ranks among the largest global sources of heavy rare earths. As a result, the material will feed into Ucore’s hydro-metallurgical plant at England Airpark in Alexandria, Louisiana, which is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Domestic production capacity aims to scale rapidly by 2028
Initially, the Louisiana facility will process 2,000 tonnes of rare earth oxides per year, with plans to expand to 7,500 tonnes by 2028. Ucore will also process feedstock at its Ontario-based plant in Kingston, forming a dual-site refining model. The agreement also offers flexibility for Critical Metals to supply other U.S.-based downstream partners as demand accelerates across the defense and clean tech sectors.
ScrapInsight Commentary
This long-term offtake deal marks a strategic advancement in reshoring the rare earth supply chain. As U.S. and allied markets accelerate critical mineral self-sufficiency, such agreements will define the future of defense-grade rare earth sourcing and circular resource independence.
