I'm guessing you are referring to United Rare Earths CEO Jeffrey Willis and engineering team traveling to Belfast (May 2025) to tour the existing magnet recycling pilot facility that Ionic Rare Earths operates via Ionic Technologies. This shows direct engagement between the teams, likely for technology exchange or benchmarking.
United Rare Earths is actively engaging in state economic development (ECD) grants, reinforcing the project's role in U.S. security and supply chain priorities.
Ionic Rare Earths is exploring U.S. downstream rare earths refining/recycling facilities, actively engaging with U.S. government departments and OEMs, aiming for a presence in America. Though not yet partnered with United, this places them on parallel paths with interest in U.S. sites and collaboration. Both companies are connected to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (United) and Queen’s University Belfast’s QUILL ecosystem (Ionic) with overlapping magnet recycling tech. United Willis’s visit to Belfast suggests clearly IMO strong interest in exploration of Ionic’s QUE-based ionic liquid recycling tech.
So while no equity or formal JV ties exist, there are strong operational overlaps, visits between leadership and facilities, with shared interests in magnet recycling tech, similar government support and national security framing potential future collaboration as Ionic expands in the U.S.I definitely think you are onto something, JV, license or some other collaborative endeavour. It's definitely coming as the USA now knows it needs a multi approach of all sources available. Military wise the world is without doubt becoming more dangerous by the month.
(20min delay)