Here's why Iโm bullish on $AREC and ReElement Technologies (2025โ2028)
1. Strategic Position in Critical Materials
ReElement Technologies, the refining arm of $AREC, is focused on producing high-purity rare earth elements and battery metals from both recycled and primary feedstocks. These materials - notably neodymium, praseodymium, lithium, and cobalt - are essential for permanent magnets, EV batteries, wind turbines, and a wide range of defense applications.
As the U.S. and the West broadly decouples from Chinaโs near-monopoly (90%-95% market share) on rare earth processing, establishing a resilient and scaled domestic supply has become a national security imperative. This macro backdrop directly benefits ReElement, which is one of the few U.S.-based companies with a proven, scalable rare earth refinement capability that can rival China.
2. Proven, Modular Refinement Technology
ReElementโs separation and purification technology is ion chromatography-based, which allows for a modular, efficient, and environmentally friendly refinement process. Unlike solvent extraction - the decades-old Chinese-dominated method - ReElementโs system can achieve >99% purity with smaller capital footprints and faster scalability.
This gives ReElement an edge in economics and agility, allowing them to scale rapidly through their Marion, Indiana Supersite (massive campus with up to 400,000 sq ft). Phase 1 construction is already financed and nearing completion, paving the way for meaningful production capacity within the next year.
3. Growing Industry Validation and Partnerships
Recent months have shown growing validation from major institutions and investors. Citadel and Ken Griffinโs stake (9.99%) in $AREC underscores increasing institutional recognition of ReElementโs strategic potential. Furthermore, federal and state-level incentives for domestic battery and rare earth production create strong tailwinds for companies like ReElement that can deliver real U.S. capacity.
Here's a few examples of how the company already has made big moves in terms of government visibility & funding, and major partnerships:
Gov Funding:
- AREC/ReElement is part of the Critical Materials Crossroads consortium, which has advanced to become one of 15 finalists in the NSF Regional Innovation Engines competition, targeting up to $160 million in funding over 10 years.
- ReElement secured a $2 million contract from the Department of Defense in 2025 to increase domestic rare earth element refining capacity, supporting national defense priorities.
Partnerships:
- Offtake agreement with USA Rare Earth LLC: ReElement will supply high-purity rare-earth oxides (99.5%-99.99%) to USA Rare Earth starting 2025, scaling to over 900 metric tons annually by 2028.
- Partnership with Novare Holdings Proprietary Limited (Africa) for refining facility: ReElement + Novare plan to develop an integrated critical-minerals refining facility in Africa.
- Supply agreement with Vulcan Elements: Multi-year binding supply agreement where ReElement supplies high-purity rare earth oxides (Nd, NdPr, Dy) to Vulcan for domestic magnet manufacture.
- MOU with Pensana PLC: Will develop a sustainable supply chain, with potential offtake up to 20,000 tonnes per annum of Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC) from Pensanaโs Longonjo project in Angola.
- Strategic partnership with POSCO International / feedstock & magnet production complex: MOU between ReElement and POSCO to build an integrated rare-earth and permanent magnet production complex in the U.S. Targeting an initial supply >3,000 metric tons through 2030.
TL:DR
I really like the upside potential of $AREC. I already have a sizable position and will continue to add.
Let me know if you want more analysis or personal PTs!
$ASTS: A REVIEW OF WHAT LIES AHEAD AND RECENT MILESTONES ACHIEVED
Upcoming Catalysts:
+ BB6 India Launch
+ BB7 Delivery to Florida and Launch
+ BB8 - BB10 Delivery to Florida and Launch
+ Execution of more definitive commercial agmts w/ prepaid revenue and/or investment w/ Bell Canada, Telefonica, Saudi Telecom and more than 50 global MNOs
+ Golden Dome Award(s)
+ SDA HALO Award(s)
+ FirstNet Investment and Definitive Commercial Agreement
+ FCC approval for full US commercial service
+ Block-2 Launches in Batches of 3x, 4x or 8x satellites every 1-2 months
+ Unlocking portion of $20M, $25M, and $65M in revenue prepayments from AT&T, Vodafone and Verizon upon completion of milestones
+ Updates on Google services agmt partnership
+ Initiation of Research Coverage by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Stifel, others
+ Expansion of 8x contracts w/ Department of Defense, Space Development Agency, Defense Innovation Unit and more
+ FCC 5G Fund grant
+ Progress on +40x Block-2 BlueBirds in currently in production
+ Micron production to support 6x a month by end of Q3 2025
+ Production ramp to 6x satellites a month by the end of 2025
+ Proposal for PNT service accepted by FCC as alternative to GPS
+ Delivery of $50-75M of Revenue expected in 2H 2025
+ Initial Commercial Service w/ AT&T, Rakuten, Verizon, Vodafone in 2026
+ Securing +$500M of EXIM and IFC non-dilutive funding
+ Pursuit of L- and S-Band spectrum licenses globally
+ Catalysts the SpaceMob have yet to contemplate
Recent Completed Milestones:
+ BB6 completed and successfully delivered to India
+ Verizon Definitive Commercial Agreement
+ Successful testing with Bell Canada - native voice call, data, texting
+ US Bankruptcy Court confirms AST and Ligado L-band spectrum transaction transaction, deal now only subject to FCC appoval
+ FCC Partial Grant for launch and TT&C for 20x Block 2 birds
+ Acquired Global S-Band Spectrum Priority Rights held Under International Telecommunication Union
+ Successfully completed the first-ever native voice call (VoLTE) and text (SMS) with a standard cell phone using AT&T spectrum and core network
+ Hired JR Wilson as Chief of Networks and Spectrum, formerly AT&T VP of Tower Strategy, Roaming & In-Building Solutions
+ Raised $575M 2.375% Convertible Note w/ Capped Call struck at $120, resulting in $1.5B of pro forma cash on balance sheet
+ Repurchased $360M of $460M 4.25% Convertible Note
+ FCC granted STA for BB6
+ Entered into $550M of Non-Recourse Senior Secured Term Loan tofund Ligado Transaction
+ Secured $100M equipment loan facility
+ Moved to Russell 1000 from Russell 2000 Index
+ Demonstrated World's first tactical NTN connectivity over standard mobile devices with defense prime Fairwinds Technologies
+ Announced Latest MNO Partnership with Vodafone Idea of India
+ Hired Jennifer Manner as SVP of Regulatory Affairs and International Strategy, former NTIA Senior Advisor of Space and Policy and EchoStar SVP of Regulatory Affairs
+ FCC accepts ASTโs application for US commercial service
+ FCC Chair Brendan Carr and Senator Ted Cruz visit HQ in support of AST
+ Verizon and AT&T Spectrum Lease Agreements filed w/ FCC
+ FCC grants STA for beta testing w/ AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Bell Canada, and Rakuten
+ FCC grants STA for Firstnet evaluation on public safety Band 14
+ AST SpaceMobile forms SatCo Joint Venture w/ Vodafone to better serve European market, select Luxembourg as HQ
+ Secured $43M and $20M Contracts w/ US Space Development Agency and Defense Innovation Unit
+ AST5000 ASIC development finished and now being integrated into Block-2 sats
+ Successful video calls completed w/ AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone and Rakuten
+ Exercised Multi-launch Agmts w/ SpaceX, Blue Origin and ISRO
+ Reached +3,700 patent & patent pending claims
+ Initiation of Research Coverage by Bank of America, Clear Street, Roth Capital, Cantor Fitzgerald, Oppenheimer and William Blair
+ Established Coordination Agmt w/ US National Science Foundation covering satellite and ground-based astronomy operations
+ Closed $460M 4.25% Convertible Debt funding
Signed 2-3x additional Global MNOs, bringing the total to +53x covering +3.2B Subscribers
+ AST Secures 74% more mfg space in Midland, TX, Homestead, FL, and Barcelona, Spain - now at 338,000 sqft
+ Opened European Research Center w/ Vodafone and University of Malaga in Spain
+ Signed Deal w/ Singaporeโs Defense Science and Technology Agency
+ Joined 5G Automotive Association, which develops and promotes 5G-based Solutions for Connected Autonomous Vehicles