American Rare Earths Advances Halleck Creek Pilot Plant Program

Why It Matters

Accelerating domestic rare‑earth production reduces U.S. reliance on foreign sources, strengthening supply‑chain resilience for critical technologies.

Key Takeaways

• Accelerating Halleck Creek pilot plant to produce pre‑production concentrate.
• Hired veteran Jaye Pikarts to fast‑track rare‑earth processing.
• Partnering with Tetra Tech for advanced separation and engineering support.
• Ordering equipment early; air‑freighting critical unit to meet nine‑month timeline.
• Targeting heavy‑rare‑earths first, with plans to expand to light elements.

Summary

American Rare Earths (ARE) announced a rapid acceleration of its Halleck Creek pilot plant, aiming to move from small‑scale proof‑of‑concept to a full‑scale pre‑production concentrate. CEO Mark Wall highlighted the addition of industry veteran Jaye Pikarts, whose four decades of rare‑earth mining, processing, and environmental compliance experience will help fast‑track the operation. The company also underscored its collaboration with Tetra Tech, a leading engineering firm, to design and execute the critical separation processes required for domestic rare‑earth production.

The expanded team now includes chief technical officer Dwight, chemical‑engineer Kelton Smith, and Tetra Tech’s specialists, creating a multidisciplinary group focused on scaling the proven flow‑sheet. ARE has taken a proactive supply‑chain approach, ordering key processing equipment well ahead of schedule and even arranging air‑freight for a custom‑fabricated unit to avoid months‑long shipping delays. Wall asserts the pilot plant, which would traditionally require four years for permitting, financing, construction, and commissioning, could be operational within nine months.

Wall repeatedly emphasized speed, noting, “We aim to get done in probably nine months or so,” and described the pilot as a “lightning‑fast” effort. He also clarified that while the initial focus is on the heavy‑rare‑earth stream—considered the most strategic domestic commodity—the same infrastructure can later accommodate light‑rare‑earths, albeit with a modestly larger footprint and capital outlay.

If successful, the accelerated timeline could significantly bolster U.S. rare‑earth independence, providing a reliable domestic source for critical magnets and other high‑tech applications. The move positions ARE to attract downstream partners, potentially reshaping the supply chain for defense, renewable energy, and electronics sectors that rely on secure rare‑earth inputs.

Original Description

American Rare Earths CEO Mark Wall joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce rapid progress on the company’s pilot plant program aimed at producing pre-production rare earth concentrate from Halleck Creek ore. As part of this advancement, the company has engaged Jaye T. Pickarts, P.E. to lead the pilot plant process, bringing extensive U.S.-based rare earth and project development expertise to this critical stage.

Wall explained that Pickarts is a metallurgical engineer and Registered Professional Engineer with more than four decades of experience in mine development, mineral processing, and environmental compliance. His background includes leadership roles in rare earth demonstration plants and Wyoming-based permitting and operations.

In previous positions, including a senior role at engineering firm Knight Piésold, Pickarts oversaw the design, construction, and commissioning of rare earth pilot and demonstration facilities. He has also contributed to multiple technical studies, advancing projects from early scoping through to feasibility. His combined expertise in flowsheet development and plant execution will be instrumental in integrating and de-risking the Halleck Creek pilot circuit.

To support the program, American Rare Earths has ordered three key pieces of front-end processing equipment. The company has already received two Induced Roll Magnetic Separators (IRMS) manufactured by Mineral Technologies, headquartered in Starke, Florida. In addition, it has ordered a “GradePro” Reflux Classifier from FLSmidth in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is currently being fabricated on an expedited schedule. The remainder of the circuit will utilize standard, well-established processing equipment, allowing the team to focus on efficiently integrating and optimizing these critical components.

The company has also announced it has brought on t Tetra Tech, a U.S. based major consulting and engineering services company, to complete an Oxides to Metals study for the Company’s heavy rare earths stream. The study will evaluate options to convert separated heavy rare earth oxides from the American Rare Earths Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming all the way to metal, a critical midstream step immediately preceding the manufacture of permanent magnets relied upon by defense and advanced technology sectors.

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