USA Rare Earth, Pasqal and Riven Systems Partner to Develop Rare Earth Separation Technology

USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ:USAR), Pasqal (NASDAQ:PSQL) and Riven Systems have announced a strategic partnership to develop technology aimed at improving the separation of rare earth elements.

The collaboration, announced on 17 September 2026, will combine Pasqal’s neutral-atom quantum computing technology, Riven Systems’ automated chemistry laboratory and USA Rare Earth’s mineral processing expertise.

The companies intend to use machine learning and automated experimentation to identify chemical compounds that could improve the efficiency of rare earth separation.

The project remains at the development stage, and the companies have not announced commercial performance results or a timetable for deploying the technology.

Quantum Computing and Automated Testing to Support Chemical Research

Under the proposed research programme, Riven Systems will conduct automated chemistry experiments to generate training data for machine learning models.

Pasqal will use its quantum processing unit to benchmark quantum machine learning models against conventional computing approaches.

The findings will be used to help USA Rare Earth optimise the selection of extractants, which are chemical compounds used to separate individual rare earth elements during processing.

The research aims to identify molecules that bind more effectively to rare earth elements than existing alternatives.

According to the companies, improved extractants could potentially enable smaller processing facilities with lower operating costs and reduced energy requirements.

These benefits remain objectives of the research rather than demonstrated commercial outcomes.

Project to Include Round Top and Recycled Materials

The proposed research will examine several sources of rare earth feedstock, including material from USA Rare Earth’s Round Top mine in Sierra Blanca, Texas.

Additional materials are expected to include mixed rare earth carbonates supplied by third parties and recycled material from magnet manufacturing.

Alex Moyes, Senior Vice President of Upstream at USA Rare Earth, highlighted the technical challenges associated with producing individual rare earth oxides from mixed carbonate feedstocks.

“The key challenge the rare earth industry outside Asia faces is to separate the Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate produced in upstream operations into individual, separated oxides. The Chinese dominate this capability, especially for vital heavy rare earths such as dysprosium, terbium and yttrium,” Moyes said.

The partnership is intended to address part of this processing challenge by developing alternative chemical separation methods.

Companies Consider Broader Research Collaboration

Pasqal Chief Executive Wasiq Bokhari said the collaboration brings together businesses operating in sectors relevant to “economic growth, industrial competitiveness and national resilience.”

The three companies indicated that the initial project could provide a foundation for further cooperation.

Under the proposed longer-term approach, quantum machine learning would identify potential extractants, which Riven Systems would then test in its automated laboratory.

The most promising candidates would undergo additional validation at USA Rare Earth’s research facility in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, before being considered for integration into the company’s processing operations.

The companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the partnership or provided estimates for potential production cost savings.

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