United Rare Earths establishes office at Jacksboro

Later in October, United Rare Earths will close on land at Collins Industrial Park

By Charlotte Underwood

CARYVILLE, TN (WLAF)- United Rare Earths CEO Jeffrey Willis met with Congressman Chuck Fleischmann for a luncheon at Rickard Ridge BBQ on Wednesday while the congressman was touring Campbell County. Willis and Fleischmann discussed applying for federal grants for the company, as well as an update on the process of getting business operations running in Campbell County. Willis shared the “exciting news” that they “are set to close on their land at the industrial park this month” and that the company also has just recently “established its headquarters in Jacksboro.”

United Rare Earths is an “energy company in pursuit of clean and sustainable energy.” The company was founded by Jeffrey Willis, John Graves and Dr. Bob Wright and held a groundbreaking in Caryville this past December at the Collins Industrial Park. Once the facility is up and running, it will result in “high paying jobs” for Campbell County, while “reinforcing the nation’s economic independence and increasing national security,” according to United Rare Earths officials.

“United Rare Earths is “collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratories and is focused on developing cutting edge technologies and strategic partnerships that will drive advancements in securing domestic Rare Earths supply chain.”

“Our partnership with Oak Ridge is still solid. We have identified the technology for recycling that we are going to be working with for the recycling operations,” Willis said.

The energy efficient recycling technology that the company will be using was created by Oak Ridge National Laboratories.

According to Willis, the company is now “waiting on word” on some of their grant applications, as well as “raising additional equity.”

“We are working on standing up the company now so we can get into operations, which will include launching the construction of the site for the recycling operation; this is a lot of moving parts just to have gotten to this point. United is on track and we are now awaiting word on some of our grant applications that we put out there and we are raising additional equity so that we can strategically stand the operation up; the journey continues,” Willis said.

He also said he wanted to thank the congressman for the active role he has played in helping the company get this far.

“We are so grateful for Congressman Fleischmann because with his support we have been able to navigate these many hurdles to be in position to provide the nation with a solution for rare earths,” Willis said.

Fleischmann said he “applauded the company and its endeavor” to provide the United States with its own supply chain of rare earths, and thanked Willis and United Rare Earths for “not only choosing the great state of Tennessee, but Campbell County.”

“In a macro sense, the United States is in a very difficult position, vis-à-vis, the Chinese control 90 percent of rare earth minerals. In addition, their business model is very unfair because their government fully controls this and it’s very difficult. That’s why I applaud this endeavor to compete globally because first you have to raise private capital, secondly, you have to make sure, you can in fact compete; they have an excellent business model. Thank goodness they chose not only the great state of Tennessee, but Campbell County, and they are growing here,” Fleischmann said.

As the chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations, Fleischmann said he was trying to work on helping them get grants.

“What we’re going to do, we have, in my role as chairman of energy and water on appropriations, appropriated tremendous amounts of dollars for the rare earth space, and other areas, so companies like Jeff’s can compete. I want to find out where that money has gone to the extent that I can help them get grants and work on that … they are doing a very good, diligent job at competing and we just want to do everything we can to accommodate their success,” Fleischmann said.

Rare Earths are essential for products such as laptops, smart phones, wind turbines, electric vehicles and various military and medical uses.

The global market for rare earths is “expected to grow substantially” and is a “multi-billion-dollar market” despite being a new industry in the United States.

Campbell County Mayor Jack Lynch said that the county “needs” this business and that it will be “life changing for the area.”

“Campbell County can’t wait for United Rare Earths to enter into the contract and to build and finish a building on that land and begin work on that land because they are going to be a quality company, pay competitive wages and be part of the local community. We need them here and we want them here,” Mayor Lynch said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/10/2024-6AM)