Phoenix Tailings Awarded $66 million Department of Energy Grant to Accelerate American Rare Earth Processing
$147.8 million project brings together Phoenix Tailings, MIT, and the University of Minnesota to deploy and scale next generation rare earth separation and metallization technologies
BURLINGTON, Mass., June 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Phoenix Tailings today announced that it has been selected for a $66 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Rare Earth Demonstration Facility Program, which will advance commercial deployment of its proprietary rare earth separation technology as part of a $147.8 million project. Building on the company’s existing rare earth metallization operations, Phoenix Tailings, in partnership with MIT and the University of Minnesota, will deploy and scale next-generation technologies that can recover heavy rare earth materials from a diverse range of domestic feedstocks.
Phoenix Tailings currently operates commercial rare earth metallization facilities and supplies rare earth metals to industrial customers. This project expands the company's capabilities upstream into separation, creating a more integrated domestic refining platform.
Rare earth separation remains one of the most constrained segments of the global critical minerals supply chain. By combining commercial metallization with next generation separation technologies, Phoenix Tailings is creating a more resilient domestic supply chain for the materials required in defense systems, advanced manufacturing, consumer electronics, and energy technologies.
Phoenix Tailings' refining platform is built on three major technology pillars: advanced chemistry, industrial hardware, and digital infrastructure. The company's recent acquisition of Machinery Partner further expanded its capabilities in artificial intelligence, automation, and manufacturing optimization. Together, these technologies enable Phoenix Tailings to continuously improve performance, accelerate scale up, and deliver a new generation of rare earth refining technologies.
The award validates Phoenix Tailings' integrated approach to rare earth refining. Building upon the company's existing commercial metallization capabilities, the project supports deployment of advanced separation technologies capable of processing a diverse range of domestic feedstocks. Through partnerships with MIT and the University of Minnesota, the project combines world class expertise in process engineering, automation, advanced analytics, and feedstock characterization.
MIT will support automation, advanced analytics, real time sensing, AI enabled controls, and process optimization. The University of Minnesota will support feedstock characterization and validation, helping demonstrate the ability to process a broad range of domestic feedstocks at commercial scale.
"The United States will win at rare earth processing with American innovation that outcompetes the hazardous legacy systems used overseas,” said Nicholas Myers, co-founder and CEO of Phoenix Tailings. “This award validates our next-generation processing platform and speeds up our commercial scaling. With advanced chemistry, industrial hardware, digital infrastructure, and world-class partners like MIT and the University of Minnesota, we are ready to strengthen America’s rare earth supply chain with innovation that surpasses anything available in traditional processes.”
About Phoenix Tailings
Phoenix Tailings is building the world's most advanced rare earth and critical minerals manufacturing platform. The company combines breakthrough chemistry, industrial hardware, and digital infrastructure to produce the materials that power modern technology. By rebuilding domestic refining and metal production capabilities, Phoenix Tailings is strengthening America's industrial base, securing critical supply chains, and accelerating the future of advanced manufacturing.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Brian Jencunas
508-596-6366
brian.jencunas@phoenixtailings.com
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
