Europe launches REE-FLEX rare earth solvent-extraction pilot

REE-FLEX, a European pilot project running from September 2025 through August 2028, aims to scale modular solvent-extraction (SX) technology for rare earth separation.
The initiative brings together CARESTER and the SOLVOMET R&I Centre at KU Leuven, concentrating separation chemistry and hydrometallurgy expertise to tackle a persistent non-Chinese bottleneck in refining.
The pilot focuses on the nitrate route to separate both light and heavy rare earth elements and is designed to accept flexible input streams, including primary ores and recycled materials. That flexibility is intended to ease integration with magnet recycling and diversified feedstocks for wind- and automotive-grade permanent magnets.
CARESTER will use its proprietary chemistry to upgrade the Caremag industrial plant, while SOLVOMET will develop real-time monitoring for mixer-settlers and a process to split ammonium nitrate waste salts into reusable ammonia and nitric acid, improving economics and environmental performance.
Funded by EIT RawMaterials under the KAVA 13 Upscaling call, the modular SX skid under development could serve as a design reference for future European and allied separation plants, representing a step toward reducing dependence on established overseas refining capacity.