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    Aclara rare earth supply chain outside China: project economics for mine planners

    March 20, 2026|

    Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

    Aclara rare earth supply chain outside China: project economics for mine planners

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Aclara Resources has commissioned a rare earth separation pilot plant at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg to validate its proprietary flowsheet ahead of a commercial-scale plant at Port of Vinton, Louisiana, due in 2027, targeting both light (NdPr) and Chinese-restricted heavy (dysprosium, terbium) oxides from ionic clays in Brazil and Chile. Feed will be anchored by the Carina open-pit deposit in Goiás, forecast to produce 149 t/y Dy, 25 t/y Tb and 1,170 t/y NdPr over 18 years, with a post-tax NPV8 of US$1.07 billion and 21.8% IRR. Aclara has just closed a US$50 million private placement and holds DFC backing of up to US$5 million for Carina’s development study, with early works targeted for mid-2026 and operations in 2028.

    Technical Brief

    • Virginia Tech pilot plant scheduled to output first light rare earth oxides in May, heavies in August.
    • Separation pilot focuses on NdPr, dysprosium and terbium streams from ionic clays sourced in Brazil and Chile.
    • Virginia Tech research team engaged on flowsheet optimisation and advanced analysis at the Blacksburg pilot facility.
    • Commercial separation plant at Port of Vinton, Louisiana, is targeted for mechanical completion and commissioning in 2027.
    • Carina prefeasibility study estimates initial capex at US$548.3 million with a 4.5‑year post‑tax payback.
    • Carina’s post‑tax NPV8 is quoted at US$1.07 billion with a 21.8% internal rate of return.
    • US International Development Finance Corporation has committed up to US$5 million to fund Carina’s development study.
    • Penco Module PEA outlines 774 t/y REO over 14 years, with US$119 million initial capex.
    • Penco’s after‑tax NPV5 is US$178 million and IRR 23% at US$96/kg REO price assumption.

    Our Take

    Energy Fuels, MP Materials and Lynas Rare Earths appearing alongside Aclara in this piece mirrors our recent coverage of Energy Fuels’ White Mesa and Vara Mada plans, suggesting that Carina and Penco will be entering a market where Western-aligned separation and heavy rare earth capacity is already scaling up aggressively.

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    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

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