News & Insights
Flash Metals USA Advances Texas Facility Development and Expands REE Initiatives Amid Global Supply Chain Disruptions
October 13, 2025
Today, Flash Metals USA, a subsidiary of Metallium Limited (“Metallium”) (ASX: MTM; OTCQX: MTMCF), is pleased to provide an update on development progress at its flagship Gator Point Technology Campus in Chambers County, Texas, where commissioning of the Company’s first Flash Joule Heating (FJH) processing line remains on track to commence in December 2025. The update also outlines expanded plant capacity, the addition of a second demonstration line for REE and semiconductor feedstocks, and Flash Metals USA’s strengthened position following China’s expanded export restrictions on rare earth materials and processing technology. The Company’s patented FJH platform, capable of processing diverse feedstocks ranging from electronic waste and magnet scrap to mine tailings and mineral concentrates, positions Flash Metals USA as one of the only non-Chinese groups able to deliver a complete, low-emission refining pathway for critical and strategic metals.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Revised Nameplate: 8,000 tpa PCB feed capacity (≈1,600 tonnes/annum (tpa) metal-rich char post-plastic removal) - a 5X scale-up from original 350-tpa design (1 t/day). Ramp up to Stage-1 scale targeted for Q3 26.
Expansion Ready: Core infrastructure, including pre-processing circuit has been configured to allow seamless expansion to a Stage-2 capacity of 16,000 tpa PCB feed through the addition of supplemental equipment modules.
2nd REE / Critical Metals Line: A dedicated Specialty Materials Demonstration Line (350 tpa maximum target capacity for Stage-1) will also be installed to process rare-earth-element (REE) tailings, refinery residues, and semiconductor feedstocks containing gallium and germanium. This capability will support demonstration programs for REE mining and refining partners seeking a domestic, non-Chinese processing pathway.
Target Metals: The first commercial FJH line will focus on recovering gold, silver, copper, tin, antimony, and palladium from PCB e-waste, all of which are trading near record price levels, highlighting the strategic importance of Flash Metals USA’s recycling model.
Commissioning on Track: Commissioning of the first FJH production line remains scheduled to commence in December 2025, with ramp-up through early 2026 to reach the 8,000 tpa Stage-1 operating level.
Site Works & Procurement: All major process systems have been ordered. Civil and electrical upgrades at the Chambers County site are proceeding, and the installation of environmental scrubber systems is underway.
Multi-Feedstock Capability: FJH can treat a broad spectrum of REE-bearing materials, including mine concentrates, tailings, magnet scrap, and refinery residues, providing a single, flexible processing route that shortens traditional flowsheets and eliminates dependence on Chinese refining. This adaptability is a key differentiator in addressing the full lifecycle of critical metals, from extraction to recycling.
Flash Metals USA, a Metallium company, Managing Director & CEO, Michael Walshe, commented: “The recent escalation of Chinese export controls, including the export of REE technology targeting defense and chip users, reinforces the importance of establishing a secure, allied supply chain for rare-earth and critical metals. Flash Metals USA’s technology platform is designed precisely for this moment, offering a clean, rapid, and scalable processing alternative developed and deployed entirely in the United States. Together with Ucore Rare Metals Inc., our REE-separation technology partner, Flash Metals USA is uniquely positioned to deliver the technology and materials needed to strengthen U.S. and allied supply-chain independence from China. “Our first commercial plant in Texas will not only recycle high-value metals, including gold and silver from e-waste but also provide U.S. and allied partners with a non-Chinese refining pathway for rare-earths, gallium, and germanium. Commissioning remains on track to begin in December, with ramp-up continuing through Q1 2026. As global trade tensions reshape supply chains, our technology’s ability to process a wide range of REE feedstocks, mine concentrates, magnet scrap, tailings, and refinery residues positions Flash Metals USA at the center of a new, resilient U.S.-based critical-metals ecosystem.”
“With core infrastructure already in place to support Stage 1 operations and future expansion, Flash Metals USA enters the commissioning phase from a position of strength and readiness. As Washington moves to secure domestic supply chains for critical materials, Flash Metals USA’s U.S. operations and multi-feedstock processing capability provide a proven, scalable platform to meet these national-security imperatives.”
Figure 1: Texas Technology Campus will house the 1st FJH commercial plant & serve as a hub for ongoing R&D and future expansion
STRATEGIC CONTEXT – RARE EARTH INDEPENDENCE
China’s recent expansion of export restrictions, now covering additional rare-earth metals, refining equipment, and process technology, has intensified the urgency for non-Chinese supply chain solutions. According to recent reporting by the BBC (Hoskins and Bicker, 2025), Beijing’s tightening of rare-earth export rules now requires government approval for products containing even trace amounts of rare-earth material, extending to refining technology and magnet-manufacturing equipment. This underscores the immediate need for Western processing capacity independent of Chinese control.
Flash Metals USA’s binding collaboration with Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU; OTCQX: UURAF) delivers the first fully U.S.- based rare-earth refining pathway capable of treating both primary and recycled feedstocks. By integrating Flash Metals USA’s FJH upgrading process, which converts complex inputs into high-purity REE chlorides, with Ucore’s RapidSX™ separation technology, the partnership creates a versatile, modular, and China-free refining system that can process materials from mine concentrates, mixed rare-earth carbonates, magnet scrap, and industrial residues, a level of feedstock flexibility unmatched in current Western supply chains.
This technical breadth is strategically significant: most Western REE projects remain reliant on Chinese refining due to the complexity of feedstock variation. Flash Metals USA’s FJH process bypasses these limitations, producing clean chloride intermediates that plug directly into multiple downstream separation routes, whether for heavy or light REE compositions. This ability to handle heterogeneous materials from mine to magnet provides resilience against supply shocks and strengthens Flash Metals USA’s eligibility for U.S. federal critical minerals funding programs.
U.S. CRITICAL-MINERALS PRIORITY AND POLICY ALIGNMENT
Recent U.S. government initiatives, including the Pentagon’s accelerated stockpiling of critical minerals such as antimony, cobalt, indium, and rare earths, underscore the urgency of establishing secure, non-Chinese refining capacity within allied jurisdictions. The program, driven by the Defense Logistics Agency under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, highlights Washington’s focus on rebuilding domestic supply chains for defense and high-technology applications.
Flash Metals USA’s Texas-based FJH facility is directly aligned with these objectives. Its ability to upgrade diverse feedstocks, including mine concentrates, tailings, refinery residues, and e-waste, into high-purity intermediates positions the Company as one of the few U.S.-anchored technology providers capable of supporting defense-industrial-base metals independence.
This alignment with U.S. critical minerals and national-security priorities not only enhances Flash Metals USA’s strategic relevance but also provides a foundation for potential participation in future government procurement and grant programs aimed at securing the supply of critical and strategic materials.
TEXAS FACILITY DEVELOPMENT – STAGE 1 AND 2
Flash Metals USA’s Technology Campus in Chambers County, Texas, remains the Company’s operational focus, with development progressing according to schedule.
Stage-1 construction and installation are advancing on schedule, aligned with the December 2025 commissioning target. Stage-1 will deliver an 8,000 tpa PCB feed capacity (≈ 1,600 tpa metal-rich char feed to FJH system), with ramp-up through early 2026 as systems transition to continuous operation. The pre-processing circuits have been designed with headroom for this throughput, allowing the site to operate at full Stage-1 capacity without requiring additional capital commitments.
Stage-2 planning provides for a 16,000 tpa expansion, achievable through the addition of further process equipment. All foundational infrastructure, electrical systems, and site layout are being implemented to accommodate this growth path, enabling a rapid and capital-efficient expansion once operating performance and feedstock logistics support scaling.
This staged development approach balances near-term commercial readiness with long-term scalability, positioning Flash Metals USA to meet rising U.S. demand for low-emission metal recovery and refining capacity.
Figure 2: Flash Metals USA’s FJH Technology Campus - Multi-Feedstock Processing and Expansion Pathway
An indicative timeline is presented below for the Chamber’s County Commercial Facility.
MULTI-SITE U.S. EXPANSION STRATEGY
Flash Metals USA’s broader U.S. growth plan is advancing in parallel with the Texas facility, supported by exclusive options to establish additional FJH processing sites in Westport, Massachusetts and Harrisonburg, Virginia. Both locations are fully permitted for e-waste and industrial-waste processing and co-located with high-throughput metal-recycling operations, enabling rapid deployment of modular FJH units when required.
Each site provides existing industrial infrastructure, including high-capacity power, sealed pads, rail access, and warehousing, ensuring that expansion can be achieved efficiently and at low incremental cost. The Massachusetts site is located within Mid-City Scrap’s long-established metals campus, while the Virginia site forms part of Recycle Management LLC’s multi-modal recycling facility, positioned near the Northern Virginia data-center corridor, one of the highest e-waste generating regions in the United States.
With the U.S. government accelerating domestic investment in critical minerals and refining capacity, and with capital increasingly flowing into U.S.-based strategic-metal projects, Flash Metal USA’s pre-permitted multi-site footprint provides an immediate platform to scale in response to policy or market demand.
While Texas remains the Company’s near-term operational and financial focus, the secured options give Flash Metals USA a shovel-ready pipeline for future deployment across multiple U.S. regions, and a foundation for longer-term international expansion into allied jurisdictions.
Figure 4: Flash Metals USA’s current site location map within the United States
NOTE: Printed circuit board (PCB): a high-value electronic component used in computers, phones, and industrial equipment that contains recoverable metals such as copper, gold, silver, tin, palladium, and antimony.
About Flash Metals USA
Flash Metals USA is a subsidiary of Metallium Ltd (ASX: MTM; OTCQX: MTMCF), an Australian-based company advancing sustainable mineral recovery and critical materials innovation. Flash Metals USA is pioneering advanced metal recovery solutions through its exclusive partnership with Rice University and the innovative Flash Joule Heating (FJH) process. The cutting-edge FJH process enables rapid, efficient extraction of materials such as lithium, gold, and gallium, reducing energy use and waste compared to traditional methods. By setting new industry standards for environmental responsibility and operational efficiency, Flash Metals USA is helping drive the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy.