White Mesa Mill
Producing Rare Earth Oxide in the U.S.
The Mill is a key link in the U.S. rare earth supply chain processing monazite, a low-cost byproduct of heavy mineral sands, to produce rare earth oxides for use in electric mobility, robotics, drones and defense technologies.
It has completed its first commercial run of ‘on-spec’ neodymium-praseodymium oxide (NdPr), considered a “light” rare earth. The team is currently piloting the “heavy” rare earths of dysprosium (Dy) and Terbium (Tb).
The White Mesa Mill is the only fully-licensed and operating conventional uranium mill in the United States.
- Produces U3O8 from uranium ore as the material start of the nuclear fuel cycle, providing zero-emission baseload nuclear energy for the U.S.
- Licensed capacity of 8+ million pounds of uranium per year
- Central to the highest-grade uranium mines and deposits in the United States
- Extensive controls in place to ensure protection of air, water, wildlife, and the environment
- 150 people employed at full operation and growing with planned additions of expanded rare earth processing capacity
- A major U.S. producer of high-purity vanadium
- An integral component in the landmark agreement between Energy Fuels and the Navajo Nation
- The largest employer in San Juan County and financial supporter of the San Juan County Clean Energy Foundation
Ownership of Mill
White Mesa’s share of all U.S. uranium production (2012-2018)
- Separate circuit to produce high-purity vanadium from certain ores with potential to supply emerging battery technologies
- Separate alternate feed circuit to produce uranium from other uranium-bearing materials with grades as high as 75% U3O8
Recent Uranium Production
2019 – 1.8 million lbs. of V2O5
2018 – 0.8 million lbs.
2017 – 1.3 million lbs.
2016 – 0.7 million lbs.
2015 – 0.3 million lbs.
2014 – 0.9 million lbs.
2013 – 1.0 million lbs.
2012 – 1.3 million lbs.
Four Critical Mineral Circuits in One Facility
The White Mesa Mill has a separate circuit for processing:
- Natural uranium ore from nearby Energy Fuels 100% owned mines into natural uranium concentrate.
-
Monazite into rare earth oxides including:
Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr)
Dysprosium (Dy) -in pilot phase
Terbium (Tb) - in lab phase
- Alternate feed materials, which are other uranium-bearing materials, not derived from conventional ore.
- Vanadium ore from vanadium mines 100% owned by Energy Fuels.
