RZOLV Technologies and Alkemio Bioscience Collaborate on Modular Rare Earth Recovery System

Strategic Partnership Leveraging Complementary Technologies Across the Recovery Process

On July 23, 2026, RZOLV Technologies announced the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent with Alkemio Bioscience to pursue a unified rare earth and critical minerals commercialization strategy. The collaboration aims to tackle a key industry challenge by integrating upstream metal mobilization with downstream separation and refining.

The partnership combines RZOLV's proprietary hydrometallurgical platform, which unlocks and mobilizes rare earth elements and critical minerals from complex feedstocks while optimizing extraction and producing stable process solutions, with Alkemio's molecular-recognition technology that selectively separates, purifies, and upgrades dissolved metals into higher-value products. Together, they plan to develop a modular, potentially source-adjacent commercialization pathway from complex feedstocks to separated rare earth products.

RZOLV's Advanced Hydrometallurgical Extraction Platform

RZOLV Technologies is commercializing a proprietary, non-cyanide aqueous regenerative hydrometallurgical platform designed to recover precious metals, base metals, and critical minerals from ores, concentrates, tailings, spent materials, and secondary sources. The technology emphasizes controlled dissolution, complexation, pH and oxidation-reduction potential management, downstream metal recovery, and closed-loop solution handling.

The company is advancing strategic partnerships and validation programs to support commercialization across various metals and minerals, especially where traditional processing faces metallurgical, environmental, capital, or permitting challenges. Within the collaboration, RZOLV’s role focuses on producing stable, conditioned process solutions suitable for downstream separation by complementary technologies.

Alkemio's Molecular-Recognition Separation Technology and Performance Highlights

Argentina-based Alkemio Bioscience is developing a modular rare earth separation and refining platform utilizing selective media and molecular-recognition technology. Given the chemically similar behavior of rare earth elements in solution, Alkemio’s approach creates selective binding environments for targeted ions, enabling modular recovery and product upgrading from conditioned process solutions.

Laboratory tests show Alkemio’s platform achieves recovery efficiencies above 87% under controlled conditions and aims to reduce processing stages and physical footprint compared to conventional solvent extraction. The company targets facilities up to 200 times smaller, capital cost reductions of up to 80%, and potential profit improvements for miners up to 50%. These figures are based on internal estimates pending confirmation through feed-specific testing, engineering, scale-up, and independent economic validation.

Alkemio's Experienced Team and Global Recognition

Alkemio has assembled a multidisciplinary team with expertise in rare earth separation, hydrometallurgy, molecular science, chemistry, process design, engineering, and technology commercialization. The company has earned international recognition via innovation platforms such as UC Berkeley SkyDeck, Cleantech Group's LATAM Cleantech 25, and Hello Tomorrow's Deep Tech Pioneer program.

Addressing Conventional Rare Earth Refining Challenges Through Collaboration

The collaboration aims to overcome technical and economic limitations of traditional rare earth refining, which typically involves large centralized plants, multiple solvent-extraction steps, extensive reagent inventories, and feed-specific processes. These factors limit economic viability for smaller projects, remote mining sites, recycling operations, or industrial residues.

By integrating RZOLV’s hydrometallurgical extraction with Alkemio’s downstream separation and refining, the partnership seeks to develop project-specific pathways toward pilot validation, licensing, and commercial deployment. This approach intends to reduce capital intensity and complexity while enabling resource owners to capture greater downstream product value.

Goals for Integrated Platform Development and Validation

The strategic collaboration aims to develop and validate a modular processing pathway capable of unlocking, selectively recovering, separating, and upgrading rare earth elements and critical minerals from primary and secondary feedstocks. The companies also plan to establish technical, operational, and economic foundations for pilot-scale demonstration and commercial deployment.

The combined RZOLV-Alkemio process has not yet been commercially demonstrated; performance metrics such as recovery, selectivity, costs, environmental benefits, product quality, and commercial viability will depend on feed-specific testing, engineering, pilot validation, and independent review.

Exploring Future Commercial Agreements

If collaboration outcomes are positive, the companies may pursue Joint Development Agreements, pilot projects, special-purpose vehicles, commercial joint ventures, or technology licensing and deployment agreements. All future arrangements will require definitive written contracts, as the current Letter of Intent remains non-binding with no committed financial terms.

Executive Insights on Strategic Importance

Duane Nelson, President and CEO of RZOLV Technologies, described the Letter of Intent as "an important step in forging a strategic relationship with Alkemio and advancing RZOLV's commercialization strategy in rare earths and critical minerals," highlighting RZOLV’s platform’s role in unlocking metals from complex feedstocks and generating stable process solutions.

Angel Centeno, CEO of Alkemio, stated that "RZOLV's ability to unlock rare earths and associated critical minerals from complex feedstocks and produce stable, conditioned process solutions addresses a key requirement for effective downstream separation," emphasizing the opportunity to evaluate integrated solutions and progress toward joint development and commercialization.

Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks

The announcement includes cautionary notes on forward-looking information, highlighting risks such as availability of suitable feedstocks, testwork outcomes, scalability of laboratory results, process economics, environmental and permitting challenges, and agreement on future terms. Either party may terminate the Letter of Intent without further obligation. Investors are advised to exercise caution and note that RZOLV undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.