A planned $375 million industrial investment in upstate New York will establish a large-scale rare earth separation facility designed to strengthen domestic critical-mineral processing capacity. The project will repurpose a 500,000-square-foot location at Eastman Business Park in Monroe County, supporting advanced manufacturing supply chains and creating new employment opportunities.
Massachusetts-based Phoenix Tailings selected the Rochester-area site for the commercial-scale facility, according to an October 20 announcement from New York State. The state is providing $3 million in support for the project, which is expected to create at least 90 new jobs.
The facility will separate rare earth materials used in electric vehicles, electronics, communications systems, medical equipment and defence technologies. These materials are also essential to powerful magnets used in advanced manufacturing and other high-performance applications.
Phoenix Tailings has developed processes to recover rare earth metals from mining waste and other industrial sources. The planned operation is intended to expand domestic processing capacity in a market where China accounts for approximately 90% of global rare earth processing, according to the state announcement.
When fully operational, the facility is expected to separate approximately 18,000 tons of rare earth material annually. That output is projected to yield about 3,000 tons of rare earth metals for use at the company’s downstream metallisation facilities.
New York’s $3 million investment supports the broader $375 million project and the state’s effort to attract advanced manufacturing operations. The facility’s location at Eastman Business Park provides a site for establishing the large-scale industrial operation in Monroe County.
The planned development combines industrial infrastructure with specialised mineral-processing operations. Its scale and production targets make it a significant proposed addition to the region’s advanced manufacturing base.
The project represents a major planned investment in specialised industrial facilities, with construction and site development needs tied to large-scale mineral separation and processing. Such operations can require coordination across building systems, process equipment and industrial infrastructure.
For construction contractors, developers and suppliers, the proposed facility highlights continued investment in domestic manufacturing capacity linked to electric vehicles, electronics and defence supply chains. The project’s next development milestones will determine its construction schedule and when the facility is expected to begin operations.
Source: ESD.
