USA Rare Earth, Inc. USAR is advancing its growth strategy with the successful commissioning of its hydrometallurgical demonstration facility in Wheat Ridge, CO. This milestone marks a key step in the company's efforts to establish a fully integrated domestic rare earth supply chain and positions it to begin producing separated heavy rare earth oxides in the third quarter of 2026.
Over the past year, USAR expanded its integrated platform of proprietary technologies and capabilities spanning mining, processing and separation, metals, alloys and magnets. The company also prepared the Wheat Ridge facility for demonstration-scale operations to support future commercial processing activities.
The facility has started initial campaigns to test and optimize three processing methods simultaneously: processing ore from the Round Top project, processing third-party mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) feedstock, including material from Serra Verde's Pela Ema mine, and recycling rare earth magnet swarf. The resulting oxides are expected to support downstream metal, alloy and magnet production through Less Common Metals, one of the few commercial-scale metal, alloy and strip cast producers outside China. Heavy rare earth oxides such as dysprosium, terbium and yttrium are critical materials used in defense, energy, electric vehicle and other advanced technology applications.
The demonstration campaigns are expected to generate operational data that will support the Round Top Definitive Feasibility Study, which remains on track for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026 and publication in the first quarter of 2027. As operations advance, the Wheat Ridge facility is expected to play an important role in strengthening the U.S. rare earth supply chain.
Snapshot of USA Rare Earth’s Peers
Among its major peers, NioCorp Developments Ltd. NB is working to move its Elk Creek Project in Nebraska closer to production. In August 2025, NioCorp completed its first drilling program at the Elk Creek Project on schedule and within budget. In February 2026, NioCorp started construction of the main underground access for its Elk Creek Critical Minerals Project in southeast Nebraska.
USAR’s other peer, Trilogy Metals Inc. TMQ, continues to make steady progress at the Ambler mining district. Although Trilogy is not yet in production, it is taking a step ahead with Ambler Metals LLC, which is a joint venture with South32 Limited. In July 2025, Trilogy began a multi-year core re-boxing program to protect drill core for long-term future use.
USAR’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of USAR have gained 90% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 50.3%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, USAR is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of negative 71.85X against the industry’s average of 14.92X. USA Rare Earth carries a Value Score of F.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for USAR’s 2026 earnings has decreased over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Trilogy Metals Inc. (TMQ): Free Stock Analysis Report
NioCorp Developments Ltd. (NB): Free Stock Analysis Report
USA Rare Earth Inc. (USAR): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).