Flash Metals USA (“Flash Metals”), a subsidiary of MTM Critical Metals (ASX: MTM; OTCQB: MTMCF), is pleased to announce it has secured a strategic, pre-permitted 5-hectare industrial site in Chambers County, Texas. This industrial-ready location will host Flash Metals’ first U.S. Flash Joule Heating (FJH) metal recovery plant and serve as the base for future commercial operations and R&D activities as part of a new Technology Campus. Importantly, securing this site significantly de-risks Flash Metals’ accelerated timeline – Flash Metals remains on track to commission the FJH demonstration plant by year-end 2025, enabling a rapid transition to commercial production shortly thereafter.

The site is located within one of Texas’ most established heavy industrial corridors and is surrounded by legacy waste processing operations. Its proximity to Interstate 10 and the Houston Ship Channel provides efficient access to global logistics, industrial suppliers, and downstream customers. The property is pre-permitted for industrial waste handling and processing, and includes extensive existing infrastructure such as sealed access roads, onsite power, wastewater management, security fencing, and office/warehouse facilities. The location also offers access to low-cost industrial electricity and proximity to the Houston region’s skilled industrial workforce.

DE-RISKED DEPLOYMENT: PERMITTED SITE, LOCKED-IN FEEDSTOCK, AND FAST-TRACK TO PRODUCTION 

Crucially, the property already has industrial waste processing permits in place, allowing Flash Metals USA to begin operations without lengthy environmental approvals. The site also comes with extensive built infrastructure, including sealed access roads, onsite power supply, wastewater management systems, security fencing, and existing office/warehouse buildings. This ready-made infrastructure base will enable Flash Metals to commence commercial operations with minimal construction delay. Permit by-rule applications for air emissions are being prepared in consultation with Flash Metals’ environmental advisors. Given the low-emission design of the FJH process and use of scrubbing technology, approvals are expected to be straightforward and completed within a short timeframe. 

The Texas facility will focus on recovering high-value critical metals – such as gallium, germanium, indium, and gold – from industrial waste and electronic scrap (including semiconductor production waste and gold-rich e-waste). By transforming waste into valuable products, this clean-tech approach reduces reliance on traditional mining. 

Flash Metals has already secured long-term feedstock agreements for approximately 1,100 metric tonnes-per-year (tpa) of e-waste from two U.S. recycling partners, and is in advanced discussions with Indium Corporation to source ultra-highgrade gallium and germanium-rich material. These feedstock supply agreements ensure that the FJH plant will have a reliable source of material to process from the outset of operations. Additionally, they support Flash Metals’ broader strategy to onshore metal processing capabilities in the United States and to reinforce domestic supply chains for critical materials.

“Securing this pre-permitted, industrial site puts us in a strong position to move fast, reduce upfront costs, and stay on track for commissioning by the end of 2025,” said Steve Ragiel, President & Managing Director, Flash Metals. “It gives us the infrastructure and flexibility we need to scale quickly as demand grows. This is a transformative step toward establishing a base for clean-tech metal recovery in the U.S. and also supports long-term efforts to strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign critical materials.”

FUTURE EXPANSION STRATEGY 

The secured site will serve as the anchor for Flash Metals’ U.S. Technology Campus, accommodating the 1 tonne-per-day (1TPD) demonstration plant and a dedicated R&D facility. The property’s substantial size and pre-approved permits make it ideal for modular expansion to commercial-scale operations in the future, ensuring Flash Metals can scale up production capacity on the same site as demand grows. The site also offers the flexibility to support future processing modules, pilot programs, and downstream refining innovations as Flash Metals expands its technology portfolio. Its location within a permitted industrial corridor enables potential collaboration with nearby industrial operators, and Flash Metals is evaluating opportunities to co-locate allied processing activities or shared infrastructure to further enhance capital efficiency. With available land and utilities capacity, the site may also support future co-location of partner infrastructure or joint ventures, enabling modular scale-up and potential shared processing initiatives with strategic collaborators. The Chambers County facility is expected to be the first of multiple sites under consideration across Texas and Louisiana as part of Flash Metals’ broader U.S. growth strategy.

GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

In parallel with site development, Flash Metals has been actively working with local and federal stakeholders to support a swift project rollout. Flash Metals President, Steve Ragiel, and MTM Critical Metals CEO, Michael Walshe, met with the Chambers County Commissioner and the area’s Economic Development Corporation, who have both expressed strong support for Flash Metals’ plans. Flash Metals is collaborating with county and state economic development agencies to explore potential infrastructure assistance, clean-tech grant programs, and tax incentives (including non-dilutive funding opportunities) that align with U.S. initiatives to reshore critical mineral processing. Flash Metals’ early community engagement, such as sponsoring a local youth baseball team, further underscores Flash Metals' commitment to being a welcomed long-term partner in Chambers County. Together, these efforts de-risk the project’s execution and integrate Flash Metals into the community fabric, reinforcing a foundation for sustainable growth. 

LEASE DETAILS AND FINALIZATION 

The site has been secured under a long-term lease agreement, which includes a structured purchase option exercisable at Flash Metals’ discretion. 

• Completion of the lease remains subject to finalization of definitive commercial terms and documentation, and is further conditional upon the vendor successfully closing its acquisition of the site, which is expected to occur in the coming weeks. 

• Flash Metals will update the market once all conditions precedent have been satisfied and the lease becomes binding. 

• The long-term lease structure, coupled with the purchase option, provides a clear pathway to full site ownership, ensuring Flash Metals retains strategic control as it builds a durable, U.S.-based platform for clean-tech metals recovery. 

• The lease will contain customary provisions regarding access, use, insurance, maintenance, environmental compliance, and termination, and will be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, subject to final due diligence and board approval. 

• While structured as a long-term lease to support long-term investment and credibility with local authorities, standard early termination provisions apply. These provide Flash Metals with the flexibility to exit under defined conditions, consistent with typical U.S. industrial lease terms. 

NEXT STEPS 

Flash Metals expects to finalize the lease and commence on-site works in Q3 2025. Initial activities will focus on adapting the site for technology deployment and ensuring regulatory compliance. These works include clearing and cleaning of existing structures, upgrades to electrical systems, inspections for fire code compliance, and reconfiguration of site utilities and access controls to suit the requirements of the Flash Joule Heating metal recovery facility. Flash Metals will also undertake permitting submissions and fire marshal coordination to ensure timely issuance of the required Certificate of Compliance, in accordance with local regulations. These early-phase site adaptation efforts are typical for the refurbishment and repurposing of a previously operating industrial site and are designed to ensure safe and efficient integration of Flash Metals’ demonstration-scale processing equipment. Commissioning of the 1TPD demonstration plant remains on track for December 2025, consistent with Flash Metals' accelerated U.S. commercialization schedule.

For further information, please contact: 

Lauren Condoluci

Lauren@distinctiveedge.partners

About Flash Metals USA
Flash Metals USA, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a wholly owned subsidiary of MTM Critical Metals, a publicly traded Australian company. Flash Metals specializes in advanced metal recovery technologies and possesses exclusive licensing rights to the innovative Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology, developed in partnership with Rice University in Houston. FJH is an advanced electrothermal process that enhances metal recovery and mineral processing compared to traditional methods. By rapidly heating materials in a controlled atmosphere, FJH efficiently extracts metals like lithium from spodumene, gallium from scrap, and gold from e-waste, among others. This technology has the potential to revolutionize metal recovery by reducing energy consumption, reagent use, and waste, offering a more economical and environmentally friendly alternative.

To learn more, visit: https://www.flashmetalsusa.com/