USA Rare Earth, Inc., through its subsidiary Less Common Metals (LCM) Europe SAS, has announced plans to develop a 3,750 metric ton per annum (mtpa) metal and alloy production facility in Lacq, France. The facility will be co-located with Carester SAS’ 1,600 mtpa Caremag oxide processing facility in Lacq, which is scheduled for commissioning in late 2026. Together, this platform will establish a comprehensive supply chain for rare earth processing, metal and alloy production in Europe.
The French government has committed to address multiple aspects of LCM Europe’s capital and operating requirements. LCM Europe was approved for direct credits under the C3IV program of up to 45% of all eligible equipment and up to a total of € 130M for real estate. The French government is also interested in providing support for hiring and training programs to bolster talent development and skills building at LCM Europe’s new facility.
The creation of this broad rare earth processing and commercialization platform reflects USAR’s ambition to build a more resilient and sustainable European rare earth industry that supports industrial sovereignty by securing critical resources and capabilities for advanced technologies and the energy transition.