American Resources Corp (NASDAQ:AREC) announced that its minority-owned subsidiary ReElement Technologies has expanded the planned capacity of its rare earth and critical mineral refining campus in Marion, Indiana, while maintaining its construction timeline and budget.
ReElement’s Phase 1 buildout now includes four production lines with total capacity expected to exceed 16,000 metric tons per year of separated, high-purity oxides. Initial production remains on track for the third quarter of 2026, with full commissioning anticipated by year-end.
The company said the facility is designed to process both recycled and primary feedstocks, positioning it to address a gap in the global supply chain, where most rare earth refining capacity is located outside the United States.
"Our focus is on executing a scalable solution to one of the most critical challenges in the global supply chain - the midstream refining bottleneck - while avoiding the industry buzzwords that have dominated the conversation,” ReElement CEO Mark Jensen said in a statement.
“Our Marion supersite builds on the proven foundation established at Noblesville and represents the next phase of disciplined, rapid expansion."
Phase 1 will include a specialty recycling line targeting materials such as yttrium, gadolinium, zirconium, samarium and cobalt, with capacity exceeding 2,000 metric tons annually. Two additional lines will process rare earth elements including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium from recycled and primary sources, each with capacity of up to 7,000 metric tons per year.
A fourth line will focus on semiconductor and strategic materials such as germanium and gallium, with capacity of more than 500 metric tons annually.
ReElement said its refining platform is designed to process multiple feedstocks and adapt to changing inputs, while reducing chemical use, energy consumption and operating costs compared with conventional refining methods. The company also highlighted the importance of expanding domestic refining capacity to support supply chain resilience.
"Our refining-first platform is designed for flexibility - capable of processing multiple feedstocks and adapting in real time to changing inputs and market conditions,” Jensen said.
“Through data-driven optimization and advanced process controls, we are reducing chemical usage, energy consumption, and overall operating costs relative to traditional refining methods."