USA Rare Earth Partners with Pasqal, Riven for Quantum Separation Tech

USA Rare Earth, Pasqal, and Riven Systems have established a strategic partnership to develop next-generation separation technologies for the rare earth value chain. The collaboration integrates quantum machine learning with automated experimentation to identify new separation molecules that bind more effectively to rare earth elements than current industrial standards.

By optimizing extractant selection, the companies aim to enable smaller, lower-cost, and less energy-intensive processing facilities. This approach is designed to support a more efficient and competitive supply chain, reducing the operational burden on non-Asian producers according to reporting from chemindigest.com.

Quantum and AI Drive Experimentation

The project combines US and French expertise in critical minerals, quantum computing, and industrial chemistry. Riven Systems will utilize its self-driving minerals separation laboratory to conduct thousands of automated experiments, generating data to build machine learning models that analyze extractant selectivity for different elements.

Pasqal will then use its neutral-atom quantum processing unit to benchmark quantum machine learning models against classical computing models trained on Riven’s data. These insights are intended to support USA Rare Earth’s optimization of extractant selection for its processing operations.

Targeting Heavy Element Separation

A primary industry challenge outside Asia is separating mixed rare earth carbonate into individual oxides, where China currently holds a dominant position. This is particularly acute for heavy rare earth elements such as dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium, which are critical for advanced magnets.

The partnership seeks to accelerate the discovery of improved separation chemistry, reducing reliance on traditional trial-and-error methods. USA Rare Earth notes that purpose-built extractants could reduce processing stages, equipment requirements, and raw material consumption, thereby improving capital and operating efficiency.

Tailored Feedstock and Validation

Pasqal and Riven will tailor their research to USA Rare Earth’s expected feedstocks, including material from the Round Top mine in Texas, third-party mixed rare earth carbonate, and recycled swarf from magnet manufacturing. This focus ensures the developed separation solutions support multiple areas of USA Rare Earth’s materials-processing operations.

The initial machine learning project may evolve into a broader end-to-end extractant discovery platform. In this model, quantum systems identify promising molecules, Riven’s laboratory tests them automatically, and candidates are validated at USA Rare Earth’s R&D facility in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, before integration into processing flowsheets.