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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Ucore North America Plans Rapides Parish, Louisiana, Rare Earth Element Facility

04/07/2023
Ucore North America, a subsidiary of Ucore Rare Metals Inc., plans to establish a rare earth element separation and purification facility in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. The $75 million project is expected to create 100 jobs.

The new Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex, located at England Airpark in Alexandria, will be able to process 7,500 metric tons per year of total rare earth oxides by 2027. Operations are scheduled to begin early 2025.

“It is critical that the United States leads in establishing the critical metals supply chain essential to a changing manufacturing landscape across North America,” Ucore Chairman and CEO Patrick Ryan said. “The establishment of the Louisiana SMC in Alexandria represents one of these first building blocks and a significant contributor to the shift toward energy production and consumption diversification.”

To secure the project the state of Louisiana offered Ucore an incentives package including the comprehensive workforce development solutions of LED FastStart and a $900,000 performance-based grant for infrastructure expenditures. The company intends to participate in the state’s Industrial Tax Exemption and Quality Jobs programs as well as utilize the Research and Development tax credit.

“This major manufacturing project in central Louisiana is another illustration of how the shift toward cleaner energy is creating jobs and increasing investment all across our state,” Governor John Bel Edwards noted. “The products manufactured at Ucore will reinforce Louisiana’s importance to the global supply chain as we look to further diversify and expand our economy.”

Canada-based Ucore Rare Metals Inc. is focused on rare and critical metal resources, extraction, beneficiation, and separation technologies. The company provides metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry.

"Ucore’s decision to locate its Strategic Metals Complex at England Airpark is an important strategic and economic development victory for Louisiana and our region,” Louisiana Central president and CEO Jim Clinton added. “Thanks to Ucore for choosing this location and congratulations to our partners at England Airpark for all the work involved in making this happen."

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