American Rare Earths Partners with University of Wyoming to Explore Byproducts Associated with Future Rare Earths Production at Halleck Creek
Highlights
- American Rare Earths in partnership with the University of Wyoming has been selected for a research award to examine and explore end-uses for the tailings and other byproducts resulting from rare earth elements production at Halleck Creek.
- Determining viable end-uses for byproducts may potentially enhance Halleck Creek’s economics and reduce the project’s overall footprint.
DENVER, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) (“ARR” or the “Company”), through its fully owned subsidiary Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc., in partnership with the University of Wyoming (“UW”) School of Energy Resources (“SER”) has been selected for a Seed Translational Acceleration of Research (“STAR”) Project award. This competitive funding, provided through UW’s National Science Foundation (“NSF”) Accelerating Research Translation (“ART”) award, will advance the assessment of potential byproducts associated with rare earth elements at the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming.
The STAR Project awards are a core component of the NSF-funded ART project at UW, which aims to emphasize applied research innovations across the university that have high potential for commercialization.
“The intent is to fund projects on a milestone-driven basis with usable outcomes for the industry partner at the end of the project,” says Parag Chitnis, UW’s Vice President for research and economic development, and the principal investigator of the ART grant. “These projects will serve as a basis for training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, while simultaneously advancing tangible research that directly impacts development projects in Wyoming.”
Led by Tyler Brown, minerals program manager in SER’s Center for Economic Geology Research, the project team will work directly with Wyoming Rare to examine the tailings and byproducts resulting from rare earth elements extraction at Halleck Creek -- and explore potential applications for those materials to determine potential technical viability for end-use applications, processing requirements and implications to overall project economics.
Deliverables for the project team will include a comprehensive database of material properties; an evaluation of the potential uses of tailings and byproducts through computational modeling; and small-scale laboratory experiments to validate a selected list of high-potential applications.
“Applied, industry-sponsored research holds immense practical value because it is typically directed toward solving immediate, real-world problems and creating marketable innovations,” Brown says. “The SER Minerals Team possesses a profound depth of knowledge in critical minerals and rare earths. When this expertise is directly applied in collaboration with a Wyoming industry partner, it creates a powerful synergy, one that is essential for significantly advancing our energy-driven economic development within the state.”
About the NSF ART and STAR Awards
UW is part of the inaugural cohort of institutions to receive the NSF ART award, which provides $6.3 million over four years to reengineer its research and commercialization enterprise. The STAR Projects provide seed funding and training, specifically designed to advance innovations with validated commercial potential that can be completed in one year.
About the School of Energy Resources
UW’s School of Energy Resources collaborates with stakeholders at the state, national and international levels to develop energy technologies and policies to grow and support Wyoming’s robust energy sector. SER’s mission is to advance energy-driven economic development for the state, and it leads UW’s talent and resources for interdisciplinary research and outreach, fulfilling Wyoming’s promise to be a global leader in a thriving and sustainable energy future.
This release was authorized by the board of American Rare Earths.
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About American Rare Earths Limited:
American Rare Earths (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) is a critical minerals company at the forefront of reshaping the U.S. rare earths industry. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc. (“WRI”), the company is advancing the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming—a world-class rare earth deposit with the potential to secure America’s critical mineral independence for generations. Located on Wyoming State land, the Cowboy State Mine within Halleck Creek offers cost-efficient open-pit mining methods and benefits from streamlined permitting processes in this mining-friendly state.
With plans for onsite mineral processing and separation facilities, Halleck Creek is strategically positioned to reduce U.S. reliance on imports—predominantly from China—while meeting the growing demand for rare earth elements essential to defense, advanced technologies, and economic security. As exploration progresses, the project’s untapped potential on both State and Federal lands further reinforces its significance as a cornerstone of U.S. supply chain security. In addition to its resource potential, American Rare Earths is committed to environmentally responsible mining practices and continues to collaborate with U.S. Government-supported R&D programs to develop innovative extraction and processing technologies for rare earth elements.
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