ReElement Technologies Corporation is pressing ahead with the commercial buildout of its rare earth and critical mineral refining campus in Marion, Indiana, with initial germanium production targeted for the third quarter of 2026, parent company American Resources Corp (NASDAQ:AREC) said on Monday.
The Marion facility, spread across approximately 42 acres with more than 400,000 square feet of industrial space, is designed to process both recycled materials and primary feedstocks into high-purity rare earth and critical mineral products for defense, technology and advanced manufacturing customers.
Phase 1 calls for four production lines with combined annual capacity of more than 16,000 metric tons once fully commissioned, with deployment expected in stages through the first quarter of 2027. The first line will focus on germanium and gallium, targeting annual output of more than 500 metric tons at 99.5% purity or greater.
ReElement said it has already resumed daily commercial germanium dioxide production at its Noblesville, Indiana qualification facility.
The company said most of the key equipment for the initial germanium line is on site or being delivered and assembled.
Subsequent lines are designed to process specialty hard products such as thermal barrier coatings containing yttrium and samarium, recycled rare earth magnets from electric vehicle motors and wind turbines, and primary rare earth concentrates sourced from domestic and allied supply chains. The recycled and primary feedstock lines are each designed for capacity of up to 7,000 metric tons annually.
CEO Mark Jensen said ReElement's chromatography-based refining platform is designed to be modular and multi-feedstock, distinguishing it from conventional solvent extraction systems typically built around a single mine or material stream.
"The critical mineral market does not need another announcement about capacity that may take a decade to develop," Jensen said. "It needs refining capacity that can be built, qualified and deployed against real customer demand."
Phase 1 development is expected to create approximately 100 jobs, with potential for up to 300 positions as the campus expands.