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8-K - CURRENT REPORT - American Resources Corp | arc_8k.htm |
Exhibit 99.1
American Resources Corporation Acquires Exclusive Rights to Purdue
University’s Rare Earth Element Innovations, Critical for
Clean Energy Technologies
An environmentally safer method of rare earth and other critical
material separation and purification using ligand-assisted
chromatography for coal, coal byproducts, recycled permanent
magnets and Lithium Ion batteries
February 2, 2021 | Source: American Resources
Corporation
FISHERS, INDIANA / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2021
/ American Resources
Corporation (NASDAQ:AREC)
(“American Resources” or the “Company”), a
next generation and socially responsible supplier of raw materials
to the new infrastructure marketplace, today announced that, with
the addition of Hasler Ventures LLC, the Company has licensed
ligand assisted displacement (“LAD”) chromatography
patents and knowhow to further expanded its capability in
environmentally friendly separation and purification of rare earth
elements. These exclusive patents and technologies, developed at
Purdue University, are specific to the processing of separated and
pure rare earth metals and critical elements from coal byproducts,
recycled permanent magnets and lithium-ion batteries. The agreement
will enable American Rare Earth LLC (or “ARE”), a
wholly owned subsidiary of American Resources Corporation, to
further develop and construct a much-needed environmentally safer
domestic supply chain of critical materials.
Rare earth elements (REEs) include the 15 elements in the
lanthanide series plus scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y). They are
essential ingredients for magnets, metal alloys, polishing powders,
catalysts, ceramics, and phosphors, which are important for
high-technology and clean energy applications. The global REE
market is estimated at approximately $4 billion dollars and growing
at 8% per year.
Purdue University President Mitch Daniels commented,
“We’ve long been proud of Professor Wang and her
research. If this comes to fruition, it could be a very vital new
asset in protecting our country’s national security and
manufacturing competitiveness.”
American Rare Earth’s agreements with Hasler Ventures LLC
comes in the form of two exclusive licenses: (1) technologies for
the separation and purification of rare earth elements from coal,
coal byproducts, coal waste and acid mine drainage, utilizing LAD
chromatography, and (2) technologies for the extraction and
purification of rare earth and critical elements from used or waste
permanent magnets and batteries. Both technologies will be used by
ARE to further develop its proprietary process chain for domestic
commercialization and production of rare earth and critical
elements.
LAD Chromatography / Coal Byproducts
The use of LAD chromatography to segregate and purify rare earth
and critical elements from coal byproducts is the most cost
effective and environmentally safest methods utilized to date. LAD
chromatography as designed for rare earth element extraction and
purification is a much cleaner and greener purification process
compared to conventional solvent-based extraction methods. It has a
higher yield, productivity and efficiency allowing for smaller
processing volume without the harsh or toxic chemicals. When used
to clean up decades of coal waste and coal byproducts, it yields a
triple benefit for the environment.
Magnet & Battery Recycling
Waste magnets make an incredibly efficient feedstock for the
recycling of magnet rare earth elements including Neodymium (Nd),
Praseodymium (Pr), Samarium (Sm), Terbium (Tb) and Dysprosium (Dy),
given that they carry an approximate 25–35 wt. % of rare
earth oxide, have a very simple mineral composition and are
considered a super-grade ore. It is estimated that approximately $3
billion worth of rare earth elements end up in landfills annually
given the disposal of end-of-life products. Thus, the recycling and
reducing to the pure elements in permanent magnets and batteries
from sources such as hard disk drives, electric vehicles, NMR
machines and wind turbines significantly reduce waste that goes
into landfills, reduces the mining-based environmental impact, and
mitigates the supply chain risk.
Hasler Ventures was formed by Dan Hasler who retired from Purdue
University in March 2020. At that time, Hasler Ventures optioned
the technology. Hasler served Purdue as executive vice president
for communications and previously served five years as president of
Purdue Research Foundation where he became familiar with
Wang’s work.
“Linda has dedicated more than 10 years of research to
developing this process and her innovation is one of the most
promising and environmentally safer methods to separate and purify
rare-earth metals,” Hasler said. “There is a lot of
interest in this technology because it could support the U.S.
domestic supply chain to safely purify this critical resource
currently done almost exclusively in China which makes us dependent
on them even though we have the raw materials available in the
U.S.”
Mark Jensen, CEO of American Resources said, “Working with
Purdue and Hasler Ventures to commercialize such an impressive
suite of technologies that are of major importance to national
security and the growth of the electrification marketplace is an
honor for our company. Their teams have been nothing short of
amazing, as they have fully embraced the need to rapidly scale to a
commercial process to produce rare-earth and critical elements from
available domestic sources. It is our shared belief that to compete
in the world markets and to establish a robust domestic source of
rare-earth metals, the United States cannot solely rely on the
current costly and environmentally harming methods of solvent-based
extraction. Linda Wang’s method represents this
path.”
Dr. Linda Wang, the Maxine Spencer Nichols Professor in the
Davidson School of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University,
commented, “We’re excited about partnering with
American Rare Earth and American Resources on the implementation of
our research. We look forward to working with their team on the
design of a pilot production facility and an eventual full-scale
production plant.”
In connection with the exclusive patent licenses for its fields of
use, American Resources has committed to a three-year sponsored
research program with Purdue University and Dr. Wang to further
advance the technologies and critical processes. In addition, Dan
Hasler of Hasler Ventures LLC will represent American Resources in
subsequent sub-licensing and partnership opportunities and as an
advisor to the company.
About American Resources Corporation
American Resources Corporation is a next-generation,
environmentally and socially responsible supplier of high-quality
raw materials to the new infrastructure market. The Company is
focused on the extraction and processing of metallurgical carbon,
an essential ingredient used in steelmaking, critical and rare
earth minerals for the electrification market, and reprocessed
metal to be recycled. American Resources has a growing portfolio of
operations located in the Central Appalachian basin of eastern
Kentucky and southern West Virginia where premium quality
metallurgical carbon and rare earth mineral deposits are
concentrated.
American Resources has established a nimble, low-cost business
model centered on growth, which provides a significant opportunity
to scale its portfolio of assets to meet the growing global
infrastructure and electrification markets while also continuing to
acquire operations and significantly reduce their legacy industry
risks. Its streamlined and efficient operations are able to
maximize margins while reducing costs. For more information
visit
americanresourcescorp.com or connect with the Company on
Facebook,
Twitter, and
LinkedIn.
We believe the key to a secure domestic supply chain of Rare Earth
Metals and strategic independence in Rare Earth Metals from China
is the ability to separate, and purify in an economical,
environmentally friendly way. Our Purdue University invented and
patented Ligand -Assisted Displacement Chromatography offers this
capability to U.S producers of both recycled and ore sourced rare
earth metals.
About Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology
Commercialization
The
Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology
Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive
technology transfer programs among leading research universities in
the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic
development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the
university's academic activities through commercializing, licensing
and protecting Purdue intellectual property. The office recently
moved into the Convergence Center for
Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District,
adjacent to the Purdue campus. In fiscal year 2019, the office
reported 136 deals finalized with 231 technologies signed, 380
disclosures received and 141 issued U.S. patents. The office is
managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2019
Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place
from the Association of Public and Land-grant
Universities. In 2020,
IPWatchdog
Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation
and in the top 20 for patents. The Purdue Research
Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to
advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org
for more information.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This
press release contains “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause
the Company’s actual results, performance, or achievements or
industry results to differ materially from any future results,
performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond
American Resources Corporation’s control. The words
“believes”, “may”, “will”,
“should”, “would”, “could”,
“continue”, “seeks”,
“anticipates”, “plans”,
“expects”, “intends”,
“estimates”, or similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Any
forward-looking statements included in this press release are made
only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake
any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking
statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The
Company cannot assure you that the projected results or events will
be achieved.
PR Contact
Precision
Public Relations
Matt
Sheldon
917-280-7329
matt@precisionpr.co
Investor Contact:
JTC
Team, LLC
Jenene
Thomas
833-475-8247
AREC@jtcir.com
Company Contact:
Mark
LaVerghetta
317-855-9926
ext. 0
Vice
President of Corporate Finance and Communications