Cyclic Materials Secures $25 Million to Establish North America’s First Centre of Excellence for Rare Earth Recycling in Kingston, Ontario
Cyclic Materials, a pioneering advanced recycling company focused on creating a circular supply chain for rare earth elements (REEs), has announced a significant milestone in its mission to transform the critical materials industry. The company has secured a USD $25 million investment to establish North America’s first Centre of Excellence dedicated to rare earth recycling. This landmark facility will be located in Kingston, Ontario, and is expected to generate at least 45 new high-skilled jobs in the region, strengthening Canada’s position in the clean technology and critical minerals economy.
A First-of-Its-Kind Facility Anchored in Innovation and Commercialization
Spanning more than 140,000 square feet, the new Centre of Excellence will serve as the industrial and research backbone of Cyclic Materials’ operations. Uniquely designed to integrate full-scale commercial rare earth processing with advanced R&D capabilities, the facility aims to address one of the world’s most urgent industrial challenges: securing a sustainable and resilient supply of rare earth elements essential for clean energy technologies.
These elements—particularly Neodymium, Praseodymium, Terbium, and Dysprosium—are indispensable in the manufacture of high-performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicle (EV) motors, wind turbines, robotics, data center equipment, and consumer electronics. With geopolitical uncertainty, trade restrictions, and environmental concerns disrupting traditional supply chains, Cyclic’s initiative is a timely and strategic move toward building a localized, circular solution for critical mineral supply.
The Hub-and-Spoke Model: Enabling Closed-Loop Rare Earth Recovery
At the heart of the Kingston Centre of Excellence will be Cyclic’s first commercial-scale “Hub” processing unit. This facility will employ the company’s proprietary REEPure℠ technology to process up to 500 tonnes of magnet-rich feedstock per year. Through this process, Cyclic will produce recycled Mixed Rare Earth Oxide (rMREO), a high-purity product containing the essential rare earth materials needed for magnet manufacturing.
The feedstock for the Kingston Hub will be sourced from multiple streams, including end-of-life products processed at Cyclic’s “Spoke” facility in Arizona and a network of global industrial partners supplying magnet scrap and surplus material. This distributed model ensures a stable input pipeline and reduces reliance on virgin mining resources.
Production at the Kingston site is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026. The rMREO output will be delivered to strategic partners such as Solvay, a leading global materials company with whom Cyclic signed an offtake agreement in 2024. The partnership ensures that rMREO will flow directly into the magnet manufacturing supply chain, accelerating the transition to more sustainable sourcing of critical minerals.
A Dedicated R&D Centre to Drive Technological Advancement
In addition to commercial processing capabilities, the Centre of Excellence will feature a sophisticated research and development wing. This component will include advanced laboratories and a “mini-Spoke” pilot line designed to rapidly test, iterate, and scale next-generation recycling technologies.
By housing R&D and commercialization under one roof, Cyclic aims to streamline technology validation, reduce time-to-market for innovations, and continuously optimize its material recovery efficiency. This closed-loop feedback system is central to the company’s strategy to maintain leadership in the fast-evolving critical minerals space.
Enabling Domestic Supply Chains Amid Global Disruption
Currently, less than 1% of rare earth elements are recycled globally, despite increasing demand and escalating geopolitical tension surrounding REE supply. Most of the world’s rare earth processing occurs in a limited number of countries, contributing to vulnerability in global clean energy and defense manufacturing.
Cyclic Materials is directly addressing this issue with its proprietary MagCycle℠ and REEPure℠ technologies, which recover rare earth elements from discarded EV components, wind turbines, data center hard drives, and other magnet-containing devices. These technologies offer a low-carbon, low-waste alternative to traditional mining, making them a cornerstone of sustainable industrial development.
“With this Centre of Excellence, we’re advancing our core mission: to secure the most critical elements of the energy transition through circular innovation,” said Ahmad Ghahreman, CEO of Cyclic Materials. “Kingston is where Cyclic began—and now it’s where we’re anchoring our commercial future.”
Kingston: A Catalyst for Clean Technology Leadership
Kingston, Ontario, has been instrumental in Cyclic’s development from the start. The city hosted the company’s early commercial demonstration operations and remains home to a rich network of talent, research collaborators, and innovation-driven institutions.
The new Centre of Excellence will deepen partnerships with regional and national stakeholders, including Queen’s University, Kingston Process Metallurgy (KPM), RXN Hub, and Impact Chemistry. These collaborations are further supported by critical funding and technical expertise from national programs such as Natural Resources Canada’s Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), and the National Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP).
Over 45 new high-skilled positions are expected to be created as a direct result of this investment. More than 20 team members have already been hired, with active recruitment underway for roles in plant operations, process engineering, and scientific research.
“We are thrilled to see Cyclic Materials’ significant investment to establish their Centre of Excellence and Hub in Kingston, Ontario,” said Shelley Hirstwood, Director of Business Development at Kingston Economic Development Corporation. “This announcement not only creates high-quality jobs in the community but is a reflection of the expertise, talent, and supportive ecosystem Kingston has to offer companies. We are proud to support Cyclic Materials’ efforts to create a circular supply chain addressing Canada’s critical minerals and rare earth elements.”
Scaling a North American and Global Rare Earth Recycling Network
The Centre of Excellence is part of a broader strategic plan by Cyclic Materials to develop a continent-wide rare earth recycling infrastructure. Building on its hub-and-spoke model, the company plans to expand its operations throughout North America and into Europe, reinforcing domestic supply security and supporting global climate objectives.
Key alliances with global leaders such as Solvay, Glencore, Lime, and Sims Lifecycle Services are instrumental in this scaling strategy. These partnerships facilitate seamless integration across the recycling value chain—from sourcing and dismantling to recovery and reintegration—ensuring consistent material quality and environmental stewardship.
Through this growing network, Cyclic Materials is positioning itself not only as a rare earth recycler but as a vital enabler of the electrification movement, helping industries reduce their environmental impact while ensuring a secure and reliable flow of critical raw materials.
