[NEWS]

American Terbium files eight provisional patent applications with USPTO

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[NEWS]

American Terbium files eight provisional patent applications with USPTO

Domestic Heavy Rare Earth Security. Today.

Dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium make next-generation defence, autonomous systems, and clean energy possible.

2026

There is no substitute. There is no stockpile. And conventional mining takes 7–15 years to reach production.

  • 900 lbs

    of rare earth elements for a single F-35

  • up to 60

    rare earth magnets for a single drone

  • 9,000 lbs

    of rare earth elements for a single Virginia-class submarine

  • 17,530

    tonnes of dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium are sold per year – and demand is projected to triple by 2030

100%

of U.S. dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium is imported
USGS 2026: net import reliance for heavy rare-earth compounds and metals, and for yttrium, is total.

100%

of U.S. dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium is imported
USGS 2026: net import reliance for heavy rare-earth compounds and metals, and for yttrium, is total.

The U.S. cannot build its next-generation military without metals it does not produce.

Critical Dependencies

These three metals are embedded in every system that defines U.S. strategic and technological advantage.

Dy

Tb

Y

Fighter aircraft & precision munitions

Each F-35 contains 920 lbs of rare earth material. Dy and Tb stabilise the magnets in fin actuators, flight control motors, and guided munitions. Y enables the YAG laser targeting systems standard across USAF, Army, and Navy platforms.

Dy

Tb

Drones & autonomous systems

A single drone motor contains 12–60 rare earth magnets, and drones carry up to eight motors. Dy and Tb keep those magnets stable under sustained high-RPM heat. Autonomous submarines, ground vehicles, and swarm platforms all depend on the same magnet chemistry.

Tb

Y

Directed-energy & laser weapons

YAG (yttrium aluminium garnet) is the backbone of military solid-state lasers—from range-finders to the Army’s Joint Laser Weapon System under the Golden Dome programme. Tb-based phosphors and magnetostrictive alloys support targeting displays and sonar arrays.

Dy

Tb

Y

Satellites & space systems

Stabilisation motors, communications arrays, optical systems, and defence-grade orbital platforms. As the Space Force expands its satellite constellations, the cumulative magnet and optical material requirement grows with every launch.

Dy

Tb

Y

Robotics & industrial automation

Humanoid robots, factory automation arms, and military ground platforms use Dy-Tb magnets in every joint actuator. The robotics demand inflection is just beginning—and every autonomous system requires the same magnet chemistry as defence.

Dy

Tb

Y

Electric vehicles & clean energy

EV traction motors and offshore wind generators are the largest single demand driver for Dy and Tb globally—83% of Dy demand today, rising to 94% by 2035. Includes Formula 1 hybrid powertrains and Formula E.

Dy

Tb

Y

Medical & imaging

MRI magnets, X-ray imaging, YAG medical lasers, and diagnostic phosphors. Hospital systems depend on the same metals as the military.

Dy

Tb

Y

Submarines & naval systems

A Virginia-class submarine carries over 9,000 lbs of rare earth material. Propulsion motors, sonar (Terfenol-D), and turbine thermal barrier coatings. The new Columbia-class will use even more.

Across the 17 rare earth elements, oxide prices can span roughly 6,000× from the lowest- to highest-value elements.

La

Ce

Bulk Commodity REEs

$1–$2/kg. Catalysts, glass polishing. Oversupplied globally. Low strategic leverage.

La

Ce

Bulk Commodity REEs

$1–$2/kg. Catalysts, glass polishing. Oversupplied globally. Low strategic leverage.

Nd

Pr

Industrial Base REEs

$220/kg. Core magnet metals. EV motors, wind turbines. Building domestic capacity.

Nd

Pr

Industrial Base REEs

$220/kg. Core magnet metals. EV motors, wind turbines. Building domestic capacity.

Dy

Tb

Y

Defence-Critical REEs

Up to $4,029/kg. Near-total import dependence. No domestic source. Highest chokepoint intensity.

U.S. rare earth production is dominated by lower-value light rare earths: concentrate produced by the only operating mine is over 80% cerium and lanthanum, while American Terbium targets the high-value critical elements dysprosium, terbium and yttrium.

U.S. rare earth production is dominated by lower-value light rare earths: concentrate produced by the only operating mine is over 80% cerium and lanthanum, while American Terbium targets the high-value critical elements dysprosium, terbium and yttrium.

Unlocking value conventional mining left behind.

Speed to Cash Flow Advantage

Conventional

Hard Rock Rare Earth Mine

01. Engineering

01. Engineering

02. Permitting

02. Permitting

03. Procurement

03. Procurement

04. Construction

04. Construction

First Production

First Production

American Terbium

Tailings Retreatment Operation

01

01

02

02

03

03

04

04

First Production

First Production

12 months

7-15 years

[ DFARS Timing Gap ]

6+ years

Conventional rare-earth projects started today are likely to miss the 2027 DFARS compliance deadline by more than half a decade.

[ ATC Head Start ]

~ 6.5 years

Already-mined tailings bypass the mine-build phase, reducing the path to initial processing to approximately 12 months.

[ First-Mover Window ]

9+ years

Potential lead time before new conventional domestic projects can deliver comparable dysprosium, terbium and yttrium supply.

Speed to Cash Flow Advantage

Conventional

Hard Rock Rare Earth Mine

01. Engineering

02. Permitting

03. Procurement

04. Construction

First Production

American Terbium

Tailings Retreatment Operation

01

02

03

04

First Production

12 months

7-15 years

[ Ahead of the Market ]

[ DFARS Timing Gap ]

6+ years

Conventional projects starting today miss the DFARS window by more than half a decade

Conventional rare-earth projects started today are likely to miss the 2027 DFARS compliance deadline by more than half a decade.

[ ATC Head-Start ]

~ 6.5 years

Already-mined feedstock collapses the entire mine-build phase

Already-mined tailings bypass the mine-build phase, reducing the path to initial processing to approximately 12 months.

[ With no competition ]

[ First-Mover Window ]

9+ years

Period of pre-competitor conventional domestic supply

Potential lead time before new conventional domestic projects can deliver comparable dysprosium, terbium and yttrium supply.

Methodology comparison

Comparison Metric

Comparison Metric

Conventional Mining

American Terbium

Steps to production

12+

4

Time to first production

7-15 years

~ 12 months

Initial CAPEX

~ $595M average

~ $62M

Feed Source

Unmined hard rock

Already mined tailings

Pre-treatment required

Crushing + grinding + flotation

None

Leach residence time

Multi-stage, weeks to months

~ 24 hours

Recovery rate

Varies by flowsheet

> 95%

Regulatory classification

Mining operation

Reclamation / remediation

[ Partner with Us ]

American Terbium’s deposit type is enriched in significantly more defense-crirical elements than North America’s only operating rare earth mine

The only operating rare earth mine in North American is a world-class bulk deposit. 




84% of its rare earth basket is comprised of low value lanthanum and cerium—elements worth just $1–$2/kg.

Metric (per tonne of ore)

North America’s only Operating Mine

American Terbium Advantage

Dysprosium per tonne

Ore-basis comparison

7.9×

Terbium per tonne

Ore-basis comparison

3.6×

Yttrium per tonne

Ore-basis comparison

14.0×

Combined Dy+Tb+Y per tonne

Ore-basis comparison

11.7×

Dy+Tb share of basket

Ore-basis comparison

84×

Illustrative Dy+Tb+Y in-situ value/t

Ore-basis comparison

5.3×

[ Partner with Us ]

American Terbium is developing a modular direct-leach platform to recover critical heavy rare earths—dysprosium, terbium and yttrium—from overlooked U.S. mine tailings and waste rock. Submit an inquiry to discuss investment, offtake or strategic partnerships.

American Terbium Corp. • Delaware Corporation • Founded 2020

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