USA Rare Earth, Pasqal and Riven Systems Target Rare Earth Processing

The collaboration seeks to replace years of expensive trial-and-error chemistry with predictive machine learning models. Riven will lead the effort by conducting automated experiments to generate the foundational data required for these models. Meanwhile, the French quantum firm Pasqal will utilize its quantum processing units to benchmark these models, identifying superior extractant molecules that bind more effectively to rare earth elements than existing options.

Alex Moyes, senior vice president of upstream USA at USA Rare Earth, noted that the project addresses the critical industry bottleneck of separating mixed rare earth carbonates into individual oxides. By optimizing this process, the companies intend to design smaller, lower-cost, and more sustainable processing facilities. The partners envision an eventual end-to-end discovery workflow where quantum models identify high-potential candidates, Riven’s self-driving lab tests them, and USA Rare Earth validates the results in its internal R&D facility.