Aclara Teams Up with Argonne for AI-Powered Rare Earth Separation

Aclara Resources Inc. has partnered with Argonne National Laboratory to create an AI-driven digital twin for its heavy rare earth separation process. This collaboration, conducted under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, will use Argonne's SolventX modeling platform. Combined with Aclara's pilot-scale data, the digital twin aims to enhance simulation and control of extraction operations.

Hugh Broadhurst, COO of Aclara, describes this partnership as crucial for developing a digitally enabled rare earth platform in the U.S. Argonne's Chief Science and Technology Officer, Seth Darling, highlights this as a collaboration that strengthens U.S. supply chains for critical materials.

The project complements Aclara's Rare Earth Separation Pilot Plant with Virginia Tech, accelerating industrial deployment and improving process efficiency and resilience. The digital twin will integrate AI to boost operational efficiency and speed up industrial scale transitions, thereby reducing risks.