Disseminated on behalf of Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) and may include paid advertising.
- The Canadian funding package includes up to C$26 million from Natural Resources Canada through its Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, along with as much as C$10 million from FedDev Ontario.
- Ucore’s facility will utilize Ucore’s proprietary RapidSX(TM) processing technology, which is designed to separate rare earth elements more efficiently than conventional solvent extraction.
- Ultimately, the conditional funding enables Ucore Rare Metals to advance a Canadian solution to one of the most pressing mineral supply challenges facing North America.
The race to secure reliable supplies of rare earth elements vital to defense, clean energy and advanced manufacturing has gained new momentum in Canada. Ucore Rare Metals (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) has received conditional approval for up to C$36.3 million in funding from the government of Canada to support the development of a dedicated rare earth processing facility in Kingston, Ontario. The investment positions Ucore at the center of a strategy to reduce Western dependence on offshore separation and refining, particularly from China, which controls an estimated 70% of global rare earth mining and up to 90% of processing capacity according to the International Energy Agency (https://ibn.fm/39bOx).
According to Ucore, the Canadian funding package includes up to C$26 million from Natural Resources Canada through its Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, along with as much as C$10 million from FedDev Ontario (https://ibn.fm/uCJl1). The capital will help establish a processing pathway for the rare earth elements samarium and gadolinium, which are essential to permanent magnet production and high-temperature defense applications.
The facility will utilize Ucore’s proprietary RapidSX(TM) processing technology, which is designed to separate rare earth elements more efficiently than conventional solvent extraction. RapidSX offers a potentially more scalable and environmentally conscious alternative, with the aim of producing high-purity oxides used in magnet manufacturing for electric vehicles, wind turbines, precision-guided weapons and other systems vital to North American supply chain resilience.
The funding announcement is part of a broader Canadian initiative supporting 25 new critical minerals investments and partnerships across nine allied countries, intended to strengthen resource security and reduce geopolitical risk (https://ibn.fm/My7uS). These policies follow rising concerns over export restrictions in China, where recent control measures have tightened oversight of materials including rare earth magnets, gallium and germanium. Defense analysts warn that these measures could disrupt access to components used in everything from night-vision systems to fighter jet engines, according to reporting from Defense One (https://ibn.fm/CM2eN). By establishing domestic refining capacity, Ucore aims to serve industries that are directly affected by these strategic constraints.
North American policymakers have identified rare earth magnet supply as a particular vulnerability, especially in defense programs. The U.S. Department of Defense has described rare earths as essential to guidance, propulsion and control systems in weapons platforms, and both the United States and Canada have accelerated programs to restore mining, refining and manufacturing capacity within the region. The Kingston project complements Ucore’s work in Louisiana, where the company is developing its Strategic Metals Complex to support heavy and light rare earth separation.
Ucore’s advancement in Kingston aligns with joint U.S.–Canadian critical minerals strategies intended to strengthen secure industrial supply chains, enhance interoperability in defense procurement and reduce reliance on adversarial jurisdictions. Natural Resources Canada emphasized that the Critical Minerals Production Alliance is intended to support economic growth and industrial transformation by scaling up responsible production and processing. Canada is already a leading supplier of nickel, cobalt and graphite, and now intends to expand downstream refining for rare earth elements.
The Kingston facility is expected to play a pivotal role in the development of a robust Western rare earth processing network. As global electrification accelerates, demand for rare earth elements used in permanent magnets is projected to grow significantly. The International Energy Agency estimates that demand for rare earths used in clean energy technologies could increase three-to-sevenfold by 2040 depending on the pace of global energy transition. For Ucore, the project represents not only a commercial opportunity but also a strategic industrial contribution with national security implications.
Ultimately, the conditional funding enables Ucore Rare Metals to advance a Canadian solution to one of the most pressing mineral supply challenges facing North America. With the Kingston facility, Ucore aims to produce strategic materials that feed electric vehicle, renewable energy and defense systems at a time when reliable access is increasingly viewed as a sovereign capability. If successful, the project would mark a foundational step toward reshoring rare earth refining and reducing reliance on overseas processors, helping to secure a more resilient technology manufacturing base in the years ahead.
For more information, visit www.Ucore.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to UURAF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/UURAF
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