ReElement Technologies Files Five Patent Applications to Bolster U.S. Refining of Critical and Rare Earth Elements

American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ:AREC), through its minority stake in ReElement Technologies Corporation, announced on December 10, 2025, the filing of five new patent applications that significantly expand ReElement's intellectual property portfolio in critical mineral and rare earth element refining. ReElement is a U.S.-based innovator specializing in clean, modular, and scalable refining technologies for high-purity critical minerals essential to both commercial and defense sectors.

The newly filed patents focus on refining processes for antimony, germanium, terbium, gallium, gadolinium, yttrium, and associated heavy rare earth oxides. These materials are crucial for advanced manufacturing, electrification, and national security applications. The filings strengthen domestic refining capabilities at a time when global supply chains face geopolitical and environmental challenges.

Mark Jensen, CEO of ReElement Technologies, emphasized the strategic importance of these developments: "This milestone underscores how we are building the most versatile and efficient critical mineral refining platform in the world. These filings reflect our commitment to reshoring the highest-purity refining of rare earths and critical minerals back to the United States in a manner that is scalable, environmentally responsible, and globally deployable. Our platform enables breakthrough efficiency, lower costs, and the flexibility to co-locate refining directly with mining or concentration operations - an unprecedented advantage for both domestic and allied-nation supply chains."

The patent applications were developed using ReElement's enhanced software capabilities, including machine learning, which build upon the company's foundational chromatographic refining processes. This proprietary platform enables rapid optimization of material separation and higher-efficiency purification tailored to strategic materials. The expansion of intellectual property was supported by Royalty Management Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:RMCO), which will receive royalty interests on refined outputs produced under the patented technologies.

The innovations detailed in the patent filings include processes to achieve exceptionally high purities of several critical materials:

- Germanium: Vital for infrared optics, night-vision systems, satellite sensors, and high-speed electronics, with defense applications often requiring 5N (99.999%) purity. Currently, China dominates global germanium processing, underscoring the need for U.S.-based refining capacity.

- Yttrium and Gadolinium: Yttrium is critical for laser systems, jet-engine alloys, missile guidance components, and high-temperature ceramics. Gadolinium is used in advanced sensors, neutron detection systems, and specialty alloys. Both materials support cutting-edge defense technologies and require high purity amid constrained global refining capacity.

- Antimony: Particularly antimony trisulfide, designated as a defense-critical material used in munitions, primers, flares, explosives, semiconductors, flame retardants, and specialized alloys. The U.S. is heavily reliant on foreign sources, making domestic refining capacity strategically vital.

- Terbium and Gallium: Terbium is essential for high-performance permanent magnet alloys used in precision-guided weapons, missile actuators, and advanced electric motors. Gallium is fundamental to gallium nitride (GaN) power electronics, radar systems, secure communications, and high-frequency military semiconductors. Both elements are considered "single point of failure" materials for the U.S. defense supply chain due to limited global processing capacity.

ReElement's refining platform offers several advantages over traditional solvent extraction refineries. It is compact, environmentally responsible, and capable of ultra-high-purity outputs with significantly reduced environmental impact. The technology allows for rapid deployment, including co-location with mining or concentration facilities, reducing capital and operating costs while complying with U.S. environmental standards.

ReElement Technologies, a portfolio company of American Resources Corporation, provides high-performance refining capacity for rare earth and critical battery elements. Its multi-mineral, multi-feedstock platform processes recycled materials from rare earth permanent magnets and lithium-ion batteries, concentrated ores and brines, as well as coal-based waste streams and byproducts. The company’s "Powered by ReElement" process utilizes exclusively licensed intellectual property in partnership with material processors to support the growing global demand for magnet and battery-grade products.

American Resources Corporation is a leader in the critical mineral supply chain, focusing on innovative upstream and downstream solutions. The company’s operations include mining interests in conventional and unconventional sources, recycling, and manufacturing of metallurgical carbon, iron ore, and critical and rare earth minerals essential for electrification and steelmaking.

By expanding its patent portfolio, ReElement Technologies reinforces U.S. strategic autonomy in critical mineral refining, addressing vulnerabilities in global supply chains and advancing environmentally sustainable technologies for national security and industrial applications.