GreenMet has announced plans to develop a critical minerals processing hub in Rupert, West Virginia, US, following a $150m private investment.

The company, led by CEO Drew Horn, will oversee the project, which aims to recover rare earth elements (REEs) from coal tailings.

Rare earth minerals are used in a range of sectors including advanced technologies, national defence and energy infrastructure.

The project involves several organisations from across the US, including Flash Metals USA, (Houston), AmForge Corporation (Washington), GreenMet (Washington) and the Greenbrier Smokeless Coal Company (Rupert, West Virginia).

According to GreenMet, the initiative combines processing technologies and expertise to provide a domestic source of critical minerals.

The facility will serve as the central processing hub in a hub-and-spoke network for critical minerals.

Mineral offtake agreements have also been secured, enabling the processing of minerals imported from Greenland, Canada’s Woodstock Manganese Project and Cameroon.

The project seeks to strengthen domestic and allied supply chains by reducing dependence on foreign sources for critical minerals.

GreenMet anticipates that nearly 250 jobs will be created once operations are fully established in Greenbrier County.

Additional private capital commitments totalling $10bn have reportedly been secured to support further development of related facilities, mines and strategic projects.

Coordination with the White House was referenced in statements regarding the project’s development.

The site’s access to several of the nation’s reserves of Mid-Vol coking coal was also cited as a factor in the decision to locate the facility in Rupert.

The US currently relies mainly on foreign suppliers for REEs.

GreenMet has described its initiative as a step towards building a more resilient domestic supply chain for these materials.