TORONTO – November 02, 2026 -- Aclara Resources (TSX: ARA) has completed its first Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Argonne National Laboratory. The agreement produced a validated steady-state model of the rare earth separation circuit planned for Project Dynamo in Vinton, Louisiana.
The CRADA was signed on January 13, 2026. The model was calibrated against the full set of operating data and chemical assays from Aclara's demonstration plant at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Model predicts concentrations across 478 coupled stages
Project Dynamo's separation plant is designed as a network of 478 interconnected mixer-settler stages. Solvent extraction separates the individual rare earth elements in counter-current flow. A change at any point, even a minor adjustment to an acid or base flow rate, shifts the equilibrium of surrounding stages and propagates across the circuit.
The industry has historically relied on operator experience, which leads to small, infrequent adjustments. According to the source, that conservatism slows ramp-up and extends the time needed to reach target purities.
The new model predicts the concentration of each rare earth element in every stage. Aclara can now simulate operating changes before applying them in the plant. The company expects this to reduce technical risk at Project Dynamo by predicting effects on recovery and purity, quantifying feed variability and optimizing ramp-up conditions.
Genesis Mission Phase I targets a dynamic, AI-supported digital twin
Aclara Technologies Inc., Argonne and Virginia Tech were selected for Phase I of the U.S. Department of Energy's Genesis Mission, announced on July 23, 2026. Phase I remains subject to execution of the award agreement with the DOE, which is being finalized. The Genesis Mission mobilizes the DOE's 17 national laboratories alongside industry and academia to apply AI and advanced computing to energy and national security challenges.
The team plans to extend the steady-state model to simulate how the circuit responds over time to disturbances such as a change in feed composition or a flow-rate deviation. Modelling hundreds of coupled stages requires computing resources beyond conventional process engineering tools. The program is expected to draw on Argonne's high-performance computing infrastructure.
The second step is an AI agent that uses the dynamic model to give operating recommendations to plant operators. Targeted outcomes include fewer human errors, shorter time to target purities, lower reagent costs and better absorption of feed variability. Aclara expects these gains to shorten Project Dynamo's ramp-up and speed production of separated rare earth oxides.
China's roughly 90% processing share frames the supply-chain stakes
Separation is among the most geographically concentrated steps in the rare earth value chain, with China controlling approximately 90% of global processing capacity, according to the source.
CEO Ramón Barúa called the CRADA outcome "a major milestone for Aclara." Claus Daniel, Associate Laboratory Director at Argonne, said the work helps industry cut the time, cost and risk of bringing new U.S. critical materials capacity into production.
After Phase I, Aclara plans to apply for Phase II of the Genesis Mission. That phase would deploy the digital twin in the plant, connected to sensors and actuators, so operating conditions can be adjusted automatically. Any Phase II award is subject to DOE evaluation, and there is no assurance an application will be submitted or an award made.