As Director of Research and Development at ReElement, Dr. Ding helped commercialize the Company's multi-mineral, multi-feedstock platform technology
FISHERS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / October 8, 2024 / American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ:AREC) ("American Resources" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, ReElement Technologies Corporation ("ReElement"), a leading provider of high-performance refining capacity for rare earth and critical battery elements, has appointed Dr. Yi Ding, Ph.D., as Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Ding joined ReElement Technologies in the summer of 2022 as the Company's Director of Research and Development. Before joining ReElement, he spent seven years at Purdue University's Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, where he conducted graduate and postdoctoral research under Dr. Linda Wang, the Maxine Spencer Nichols Professor. His work focused on developing advanced methods for separating and purifying critical and rare earth elements using ligand-assisted chromatography.
Mark Jensen, CEO of ReElement Technologies stated, "We are thrilled to promote Yi to the position of Chief Technology Officer. Yi has been instrumental in developing and commercializing our innovative technology to address complex challenges in our domestic critical mineral supply chain. Yi has played a key role in the groundbreaking achievements at our Noblesville, Indiana Customer Qualification Plant, where we have validated multiple feedstocks for numerous current and prospective partners across various supply chains. Yi has been able to simultaneously achieve exceptional separation and refining performance while driving innovation. We are excited for Yi to continue this mission as we build a world-class team of engineers and technicians under his guidance."
Dr. Yi Ding continued, "It is an honor to continue my work at ReElement in advancing the commercial deployment of chromatography for the recovery and purification of critical materials, including rare earth elements and critical battery elements. It is every chemical engineer's dream to see the process they developed to be scaled up and to be commercialized. I am fortunate enough to have studied and worked under Dr. Linda Wang, who has devoted more than four decades to the research, development and collaboration with the private industry in the field of process chromatography. Chromatography is redefining the efficiency of separating and refining critical and rare earth elements, and ReElement is positioning it to have a significant and positive impact on the global industry."
Under Dr. Ding, ReElement has successfully demonstrated and previously announced the following milestones in a commercial setting:
Produced greater than 99.5% pure and separated rare earth elements neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr) and dysprosium (Dy) oxides from end-of-life magnets;
Produced greater than 99.9% pure lithium (Li) from end-of-life NMC, Li-Ion batteries;
Produced 99.9978% pure, battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) from LFP battery manufacturing waste;
Produced 99.96% pure Li2CO3 from spodumene bearing pegmatite ore; and
Produced greater than 99.5% pure and separated rare earth oxides from concentrated ore-based feedstock.
ReElement is currently evaluating or in conversations with providers of rare earth ores from four different continents with the goal of either partnering with such parties or acquiring their rare earth concentrates to be refined domestically. Rare earth elements (REEs) include the 15 elements in the lanthanide series plus scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y). REEs are essential ingredients for high-end commercial and national defense applications in magnets, metal alloys, catalysts, ceramics, and phosphors, which are important for high-technology and clean energy applications. The REE market was valued at $5.37 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach $14.24 billion by the end of the 2030, while being critical inputs in products and applications valued at over $4 trillion.
Ligand Assisted Displacement ("LAD") Chromatographic Separation and Purification
The use of LAD chromatography to separate, purify and refine rare earth and critical elements is the most cost effective and environmentally safe methods utilized to date. LAD chromatography, as designed for rare earth element extraction and purification, is a much cleaner and greener purification process compared to conventional solvent-based extraction methods. It has a higher yield, productivity, flexibility and efficiency allowing for smaller and scalable processing volume without the harsh or toxic chemicals. ReElement continues to develop and validate its platform technology's refining performance across other critical mineral feedstocks to meet the needs of a more diversified and healthy supply chain.
The technology enables:
Modular and scalable production capacity (growing processing volumes efficiently as feedstock production expands);
Localization of processing (Removing the need to transport raw ore across the world);
Significantly less chemical and energy use; and
Versatility of technology for multiple feedstocks (ores, recycled material, etc.).
Learn more about ReElement Technologies' process and technology here - Video.
About ReElement Technologies LLC
ReElement Technologies LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ:AREC), is redefining how critical and rare earth elements are both sourced and processed while focusing on the recycling of end-of-life products such as rare earth permanent magnets and lithium-ion batteries, as well as coal-based waste streams and byproducts to create a low-cost and environmentally-safe, circular supply chain. ReElement has developed its innovative and scalable "Capture-Process-Purify" process chain in conjunction with its licensed intellectual property including 16 patents and technologies and sponsored research partnerships with three leading universities to support the domestic supply chain's growing demand for magnet and battery metals. For more information visit reelementtech.com or connect with the Company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
About American Resources Corporation
American Resources Corporation is a next-generation, environmentally and socially responsible supplier of high-quality raw materials to the new infrastructure market. The Company is focused on the extraction and processing of metallurgical carbon, an essential ingredient used in steelmaking, critical and rare earth minerals for the electrification market, and reprocessed metal to be recycled. American Resources has a growing portfolio of operations located in the Central Appalachian basin of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia where premium quality metallurgical carbon and rare earth mineral deposits are concentrated.
American Resources has established a nimble, low-cost business model centered on growth, which provides a significant opportunity to scale its portfolio of assets to meet the growing global infrastructure and electrification markets while also continuing to acquire operations and significantly reduce their legacy industry risks. Its streamlined and efficient operations are able to maximize margins while reducing costs. For more information visit americanresourcescorp.com or connect with the Company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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