Canadian miner Aclara Resources’ U.S.-based subsidiary, Aclara Technologies, has entered a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory to develop an artificial intelligence-enabled digital twin for Aclara’s heavy rare earth separation process.
Under the terms of the agreement, the two will leverage Argonne’s SolventX modeling platform alongside Argonne’s advanced computing, process modeling, and artificial intelligence expertise. The end goal is to incorporate Aclara’s proprietary pilot-scale data to develop a high-fidelity digital representation of Aclara’s separation process.
The resulting digital twin will enable advanced simulation, optimization, and predictive control of heavy rare earth solvent extraction operations.
The collaboration advances Aclara’s development of its rare earth separation pilot plant in partnership with Virginia Tech. The facility is expected to be inaugurated in March. Together, these initiatives have the capacity to accelerate a transition from pilot-scale validation to industrial deployment of Aclara’s U.S. rare earth separation platform, the miner said.
By integrating artificial intelligence and data-driven techniques, the collaboration aims to:
- Improve operational efficiency and recovery rates through advanced model-based control
- Accelerate ramp-up timelines by reducing uncertainty during the transition from pilot to industrial scale
- Increase process resilience by enabling rapid adaptation to variations in feed composition and operating conditions
The digital twin will be continuously refined using data generated from pilot campaigns, including those conducted at Aclara’s Virginia Tech pilot facility, enabling ongoing performance improvement as operations advance toward commercialization.
Hugh Broadhurst, Aclara COO, said the work with Argonne represents a significant step forward in its strategy to deploy a platform in the U.S. for REs that is world class and digitally enabled.
“By combining our proprietary separation process and pilot-scale data with Argonne’s world-class capabilities in advanced computing and artificial intelligence, we expect to accelerate industrial ramp-up, improve efficiency, and further de-risk execution,” he said.
“This partnership exemplifies how combining the complementary strengths of industry, academia, and national laboratories can accelerate the development and deployment of advanced technologies,” added Seth Darling, chief science and technology officer, Argonne Advanced Energy Technologies.
“It also reflects Argonne’s role in translating foundational research and unique user facilities into tangible capabilities that support U.S. industrial competitiveness and strengthen domestic supply chains for critical materials.”
Source: Aclara