Critical Materials Recycling and Paladin EnviroTech Launch “REcapture” — A Joint Venture Transforming Rare Earth Magnet Recycling and Supply Chains
Critical Materials Recycling (CMR) and Paladin EnviroTech (Paladin) have officially launched REcapture, a pioneering joint venture focused on capturing, processing, and recycling rare earth elements (REEs) from consumer, automotive, and industrial electronics. The partnership marks a major milestone in sustainable materials management and represents a bold step toward securing a domestic supply of critical minerals essential to the modern economy.
A Strategic Collaboration for a Circular Future
REcapture unites two complementary strengths: CMR’s cutting-edge recovery technologies and Paladin’s advanced environmental collection and logistics systems. Together, they aim to establish the first scalable, circular supply chain dedicated to the reclamation of rare earth magnets and other high-value materials that power today’s most important technologies.
At the heart of this venture lies CMR’s proprietary technology, originally developed at the Ames National Laboratory, a leader in rare earth research and innovation. This system can efficiently recover rare earth oxides such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium from end-of-life products—ranging from electric motors and speakers to hard drives and other magnet-containing components. These elements are the backbone of permanent magnets used in electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy systems, robotics, defense technologies, and consumer electronics.
Paladin, on the other hand, brings deep expertise in recycling infrastructure, logistics, and environmental systems integration. The company’s established network for sourcing, collection, and material sorting across multiple waste streams provides the scalability and efficiency needed to bring CMR’s recovery technology to industrial scale. This partnership creates a comprehensive loop—from collection to refinement—that few others in the sector currently offer.
Addressing a Growing Global Challenge
Rare earth elements are indispensable in the global transition toward clean energy and digitalization. However, the world’s supply chain remains fragile, dominated by overseas production and refining—primarily in China. This dependence has created economic and geopolitical vulnerabilities for industries that rely on consistent, sustainable access to REEs.
In response, both governments and private industries are accelerating efforts to develop domestic recycling and recovery capabilities that can mitigate supply risks. REcapture’s mission directly supports this strategic objective by recovering valuable materials from electronic waste, reducing the environmental footprint of mining, and fostering a circular economy in North America.
“Our mission with REcapture is simple yet transformative: to make rare earth recycling as accessible and impactful as ferrous or copper recycling,” said Dan Bina, CEO of CMR and Co-Chair of REcapture. “By integrating our recovery technology with Paladin’s collection and processing systems, we can divert strategic materials from waste streams and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. This is about creating sustainable independence and closing the loop on critical materials.”
Innovation Meets Sustainability
The REcapture model is built around technological innovation, scalability, and environmental stewardship. Using hydrometallurgical processes and selective separation techniques, CMR’s system extracts REEs from magnet waste with minimal environmental impact, producing high-purity oxides that can be directly reintroduced into the manufacturing supply chain. This not only cuts down on landfill waste but also significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with mining and refining virgin materials.
Meanwhile, Paladin’s proprietary data-driven collection systems enhance traceability and efficiency, ensuring that electronic components containing rare earths are identified, collected, and processed at optimal recovery rates. This synergistic integration allows REcapture to operate efficiently at scale—servicing both industrial and consumer recycling networks.
“REcapture is a natural evolution of our work,” said Brian Diesselhorst, CEO of Paladin and Co-Chair of REcapture. “By combining CMR’s rare earth recovery expertise with our sourcing, collection, and processing capabilities, we’re delivering a practical, data-driven solution to one of the most pressing resource challenges of our time. Together, we’re transforming waste into opportunity.”
Building the Foundation for a Circular Rare Earth Economy
Initial REcapture operations have already begun across North America, leveraging Paladin’s established collection infrastructure. These systems are integrated into key recycling networks that service both industrial and consumer electronics sectors, where magnet-containing components are most prevalent. Early results demonstrate strong recovery efficiencies and significant potential for expansion.
Looking ahead, the joint venture plans to broaden its partnerships with manufacturers, recyclers, and government agencies to increase capture rates of rare earth materials. Future developments include the deployment of advanced processing facilities, optimized logistics for magnet-containing components, and collaborations with magnet manufacturers to reintroduce recycled materials into new production cycles.
By creating a closed-loop system for rare earth recovery, REcapture not only enhances resource security but also supports broader sustainability goals—reducing waste, cutting carbon emissions, and promoting responsible material stewardship.
Toward a Resilient Domestic Supply Chain
The launch of REcapture symbolizes a critical advancement in America’s pursuit of supply chain resilience and clean technology leadership. Through the integration of chemical innovation, materials science, and environmental logistics, CMR and Paladin are laying the groundwork for a domestic rare earth ecosystem that can sustain the demands of future industries.
In an era defined by technological transformation and environmental urgency, REcapture stands as a powerful example of how collaboration and innovation can drive sustainable change. What began as a partnership between two forward-thinking companies now represents a national opportunity to redefine how critical materials are sourced, recovered, and reused—for the benefit of industry, the environment, and future generations alike.
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