Aclara Rare Earth Oxides Plan Links Brazil Mining to US Separation

aclara

Aclara rare earth oxides production plans have been reaffirmed for the Carina project in Brazil, strengthening the company’s role in the emerging Americas rare earth supply chain. The Brazilian rare earth producer expects to produce more than 4,300 t/yr of rare earth oxides from 2028.

Aclara rare earth oxides output is expected to average 4,378 t/yr contained in mixed rare earth concentrate. The planned product mix includes 1,191 t/yr of neodymium-praseodymium, 156 t/yr of dysprosium and 27 t/yr of terbium.

Aclara rare earth oxides are strategically important because NdPr, dysprosium and terbium are key inputs for high-performance permanent magnets. These magnets are used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, defence systems and advanced industrial motors.

The Carina project is expected to have an 18-year mine life. Production costs are estimated at $29.20/kg of rare earth oxide produced, giving investors and customers a clearer basis for assessing the project’s long-term competitiveness.

Carina Project Adds Heavy Rare Earths to the Americas Supply Base

The Carina project’s value is not limited to light rare earths. Its mixed rare earth concentrate also contains several heavy rare earth elements that are difficult to secure outside China-linked supply chains.

Aclara expects annual output to include 173 t of samarium, 176 t of gadolinium, 10 t of lutetium and 1,160 t of yttrium. These materials add strategic depth to the project because heavy rare earth supply remains highly concentrated and increasingly sensitive to export controls.

Dysprosium and terbium are especially important for magnet performance. They improve heat resistance and magnetic stability in demanding applications such as EV traction motors, wind turbine generators and defence electronics.

The project therefore fits a wider western effort to build alternative rare earth supply chains. Brazil offers mineral potential, while the US provides downstream policy support and processing infrastructure incentives.

Construction at Carina is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026. Initial output is expected in the second half of 2028, followed by ramp-up in 2029.

Louisiana Separation Plan Builds Downstream Magnet Chain

Aclara plans to send material from Carina to Louisiana for separation and processing. The US site will produce rare earth metals and alloys, moving the project beyond mine supply into downstream magnet material preparation.

This structure matters because rare earth security depends on more than mining. Mixed rare earth concentrate must be separated, refined, converted into metals and alloyed before it can support permanent magnet production.

The Louisiana processing route could therefore create a more integrated Brazil-US rare earth chain. It links Brazilian ionic clay-style rare earth resources with US separation, metal and alloy capacity.

Public-sector support strengthens the project’s strategic profile. The US International Development Finance Corporation provided $5mn for Carina’s development, while Louisiana granted $46mn in tax incentives to accelerate the separation project.

For western magnet manufacturers, Aclara’s model offers potential supply diversification. The company could provide NdPr, dysprosium and terbium units into a market where downstream users are actively seeking non-China material.

However, execution remains critical. The project must move through construction, commissioning, ramp-up and qualification before it can become a reliable supply source for magnet makers and strategic customers.

The Metalnomist Commentary

Aclara’s plan shows that rare earth competitiveness now depends on linking mine output with separation and metal conversion. The Brazil-Louisiana route could become strategically important if it delivers heavy rare earth volumes into the Americas magnet supply chain.