CEO Corner

Continuing Our Progress

Kelli Kast / March 20, 2024

As I step into the role of Interim President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) for the coming weeks, I do so with confidence that we will seamlessly continue on the path the Board has set for us of progressing construction of the demonstration plant toward operations this summer, and in continuing to build awareness of the Company, the Bear Lodge Project, and the importance of establishing a secure domestic rare earth supply chain.

Having been on the RER team for nearly 12 years and on the Board for the last two, I have been involved in the Company’s transition from an exploration venture to becoming a leading rare earth development company with innovative recovery and separation technology, who benefits from a strong relationship with General Atomics (“GA”) and financial support from the Department of Energy (“DOE”).

Along with my fellow Board members, we unanimously chose Ken Mushinski as our incoming President and CEO, and fellow director. As a proven leader and active proponent of the rare earth industry, Ken first became involved in RER when Synchron, an affiliate of GA, took an equity position in the Company in 2017. He was instrumental in identifying the synergies of GA with RER and progressed the Synchron relationship and investment further during the years to follow. As a member of the Board of RER during that time, he was also instrumental in helping us advance our recovery and separation technology through successful pilot plant testing. His relationships were also key in securing DOE participation in our demonstration plant project. During his prior tenure on the RER Board, he developed a great amount of knowledge about the Company and the Bear Lodge Project and established solid working relationships with members of the RER team.

The most important thing Ken brings to the Company is his firsthand knowledge of what it takes to get a project permitted and into operations in the U.S. This includes everything from permitting to decommission and successful operations in-between. This operational experience makes him the perfect steward for the Company as we consider the next phase of the Company’s life cycle – progressing the Bear Lodge mine to separated rare earth oxides commercial project.  

Over my decade plus experience at RER, I have seen first-hand the progression of our recovery and separation technology from a concept to a reality, as well as the Bear Lodge Project move from positive drill results to a magnet material-focused mineral resource. I am proud of the progress of our team and feel it positions us perfectly to becoming the cornerstone to a secure, domestic rare earth supply chain.