Uzbekistan, ReElement agree on critical minerals pilot

Photo: The Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 20. Uzbekistan and U.S.-based ReElement Technologies agreed to develop and launch a joint pilot project for advanced critical minerals processing, Uzbek Investment, Industry and Trade Minister Laziz Kudratov said following a meeting with company Director Mark LaVerghetta in Samarkand on October 19.

This was reflected in the statement by Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade.

The discussions focused on opportunities to process critical minerals using advanced technologies and introduce modern processing solutions in Uzbekistan, according to the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade.

Additionally, the sides explored potential joint investment initiatives involving technological solutions for the critical minerals sector. The agreement to develop and launch a pilot project followed the meeting, although the parties did not disclose its scope, investment value, location or implementation timeline.

ReElement Technologies is a U.S.-based critical minerals refining company headquartered in Fishers, Indiana. It specializes in separating and purifying rare earth elements and critical battery materials using chromatography-based technology, which can process both mined resources and recycled materials.

The company's technology is designed to recover and refine materials such as rare earth elements, lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese for use in magnets, batteries and other industrial applications. Its modular processing systems can be deployed at mining or manufacturing sites and scaled to meet production requirements.

ReElement is a subsidiary of American Resources Corporation, a U.S. company focused on critical mineral supply chains and natural resource development.