Aclara and Argonne National Laboratory Partner to Develop AI-Enabled Digital Twin for Heavy Rare Earth Separation
Aclara and Argonne National Laboratory Partner to Develop AI-Enabled Digital
Twin for Heavy Rare Earth Separation
TORONTO, ON, January 15, 202 6 – Aclara Resources Inc. (“Aclara” or the “Company”) (TSX: ARA) is pleased to
announce that its U.S. -based subsidiary, Aclara Technologies Inc., has entered into a Cooperative Research and
Development Agreement (CRADA) with Argonne National Laboratory (“ANL”), a U.S. Department of Energy national
laboratory, to develop an artificial intelligence–enabled digital twin for Aclara’s heavy rare earth separation process.
Under the agreement, Aclara and Argonne will leverage Argonne’s SolventX modeling platform, along with Argonne’s
leadership in advanced computing, process modeling, and artificial intelligence, and incorporate Aclara’s proprietary pilot-
scale data to develop a high -fidelity digital representation of Aclara’s separation process. The resulting digital twin will
enable advanced simulation, optimization, and predictive control of heavy rare earth solvent extraction operations.
Hugh Broadhurst, Aclara’s Chief Operating Officer, commented: “This collaboration with Argonne represents a
significant step forward in our strategy to deploy a world -class, digitally enabled rare earth separation platform in the
United States. By combining our proprietary separation process and pilot -scale data with Argonne’s world -class
capabilities in advanced computing and artificial intelligence, we expect to accelerate industrial ramp -up, improve
efficiency, and further de-risk execution.”
Seth Darling, Chief Science and Technology Officer of Argonne’s Advanced Energy Technologies, commented:
“This partnership exemplifies how combining the complementary strengths of industry, academia, and national
laboratories can accelerate the development and deployment of advanced technologies. It also reflects Argonne’s role
in translating foundational res earch and unique user facilities into tangible capabilities that support U.S. industrial
competitiveness and strengthen domestic supply chains for critical materials.”
This collaboration builds on Aclara’s ongoing development of a Rare Earth Separation Pilot Plant in partnership with
Virginia Tech, which is expected to be inaugurated in March 2026. Together, these initiatives are designed to accelerate
the transition from pilot-scale validation to industrial deployment of Aclara’s U.S. rare earth separation platform.
Driving efficiency, resilience, and faster industrial ramp-up
Aclara is advancing a modular and interoperable digital architecture to optimize its rare earth value chain. As a central
component of this strategy, the digital twin will allow Aclara to model, analyze, and optimize the separation process
across a wide range of operating conditions, improving performance while reducing scale-up risk.
By integrating artificial intelligence and data-driven techniques, the collaboration aims to:
▪ Improve operational efficiency and recovery rates through advanced model-based control
▪ Accelerate ramp-up timelines by reducing uncertainty during the transition from pilot to industrial scale
▪ Increase process resilience by enabling rapid adaptation to variations in feed composition and operating conditions
The digital twin will be continuously refined using data generated from pilot campaigns, including those conducted at
Aclara’s Virginia Tech pilot facility, enabling ongoing performance improvement as operations advance toward
commercialization.
About Aclara
Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX: ARA), a Toronto Stock Exchange listed company, is focused on building a vertically
integrated supply chain for rare earths alloys used in permanent magnets. This strategy is supported by Aclara’s
development of rare earth minera l resources hosted in ionic clay deposits, which contain high concentrations of the
scarce heavy rare earths, providing the Company with a long -term, reliable source of these critical materials. The
Company’s rare earth mineral resource development projects include the Carina Project in the State of Goiás, Brazil as
its flagship project and the Penco Module in the Biobío Region of Chile. Both projects feature Aclara’s patented
technology named Circular Mineral Harvesting, which offers a sustainable and ener gy-efficient extraction process for
rare earths from ionic clay deposits. The Circular Mineral Harvesting process has been designed to minimize the water
consumption and overall environmental impact through recycling and circular economy principles. Throug h its wholly -
owned subsidiary, Aclara Technologies Inc., the Company is further enhancing its product value by developing a rare
earths separation plant in the United States. This facility will process mixed rare earth carbonates sourced from Aclara’s
mineral resource projects, separating them into pure individual rare earth oxides. Additionally, Aclara through a joint
venture with CAP , is advancing its alloy-making capabilities to convert these refined oxides into the alloys needed for
fabricating permanent magnets. This joint venture leverages CAP’s extensive expertise in metal refining and special
ferro-alloyed steels. Beyond the Carina Project and the Penco Module, Aclara is committed to expanding its mineral
resource portfolio by exploring greenfield opportunities and further developing projects within its existing concessions in
Brazil, Chile, and Peru, aiming to increase future production of heavy rare earths.
About Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory, a leading U.S. Department of Energy science and engineering research center in Lemont,
Illinois, was established in 1946 as the nation's first national laboratory. It drives multidisciplinary innovations in physics,
materials s cience, energy, and national security. Renowned for its supercomputing prowess through the Argonne
Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF), Argonne hosts *Aurora*, one of the world's first exascale supercomputers
capable of over one quintillion calculations p er second (exceeding 1 exaFLOPS). This immense power accelerates
complex simulations and AI -driven discoveries. In rare earth elements research —essential for magnets, batteries,
energy, and defense —Argonne uses advanced computing like Aurora and earlier cl usters to model global supply
disruptions, reveal molecular mechanisms of lanthanide separation, and develop extraction methods from conventional
and unconventional sources, bolstering domestic supply chain resilience.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward -looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which
reflects the Company’s current expectations regarding future events, including statements with regard the anticipated
benefits and outcomes of the collaboration between Aclara and Argonne National Laboratory; the development,
capabilities, accuracy, and performance of the artificial intelligence –enabled digital twin; the effectiveness of advanced
process control, simulation, optimization, and predictive modeling tools; the application of artificial intelligence and data-
driven techniques to Aclara’s separation process; the operation, timing, and results of pilot plant activities, including the
expected inauguration of the Virginia Tech pilot facility; the transition from pilot-scale validation to industrial deployment;
anticipated improvements in efficiency, recovery rates, resilience, and ramp -up timelines; and Aclara’s strategy to
develop and deploy a rare earth separation platform in the United States. Forward looking information is based on a
number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s
control. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed under “Risk Factors” in the
Company’s annual information form dated as of March 20, 2025, filed on the Company’s SEDAR profile. Actual re sults
and timing could differ materially from those projected herein. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates,
the forward-looking information contained in this news release is provided as of the date of this news release and the
Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward -looking information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required under applicable securities laws.
For further information, please contact:
Ramón Barúa Costa
Chief Executive Officer