Cyclic Materials opens America’s first commercial-scale automated rare-earth magnet recovery plant in Mesa.

Cyclic Materials opened its first commercial-scale rare-earth magnet recycling facility in Mesa, Arizona, on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, according to the company’s release, an Arizona Commerce Authority grand-opening note and Manufacturing Dive’s 10 September report, all opened for this pack. The plant is described by the company and by Arizona Commerce as the world’s first commercial-scale deployment of Cyclic’s MagCycle technology for automated mechanical separation of magnets from end-of-life products, and as the front end of an integrated rare-earth recovery platform. Soft FLAG: “America’s first” and “world’s first commercial-scale MagCycle” rankings are company and partner framing.

The mechanism is physical separation before chemical refining. Manufacturing Dive quotes Cyclic COO Matt Cherevaty at the grand opening: MagCycle mechanically separates magnets from steel to produce a rare-earth magnet material branded Mag-Xtract; that concentrate then goes to chemical facilities for refining and separation into rare-earth oxides. Soft FLAG: company and Arizona Commerce also list copper, aluminum and steel as co-products of the Mesa spoke. Annual processing capacity is stated as up to 25,000 metric tons of magnet-bearing end-of-life products. Soft FLAG on capital: Manufacturing Dive reports a $20 million site; Arizona Commerce says “over $30 million” — desk attributes both figures and does not reconcile them. Soft FLAG on jobs: Arizona Commerce says more than 25 new jobs initially; Manufacturing Dive says more than 30 — attribute both. Soft FLAG: Manufacturing Dive’s line that Cyclic executives touted Mesa as its largest rare-earth magnet recycling operation by annual processing capacity is company comparative claim via that outlet.

Feedstock and schedule, as opened sources state them: more than 7,000 metric tons of magnet-bearing material have already been delivered to Mesa, with larger volumes secured under long-term partnerships; commercial operation is underway; first commercial shipments to U.S. customers are expected later in September. The company says the facility was completed about 17 months after announcement. Manufacturing Dive adds an estimated 155,000 tons of regional feedstock across the Southwest, attributed to Cherevaty, and notes Cyclic chose Mesa for proximity to automotive, semiconductor, electronics and data-centre manufacturing plus talent and transport links.

Named actors at the opening include Cyclic founder and CEO Ahmad Ghahreman; William Kimmitt, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade; Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (quoted in Arizona Commerce / company materials); Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman; and Arizona Commerce Authority president and CEO Sandra Watson. Soft FLAG: company and Manufacturing Dive place the opening against a Trump Administration Presidential Determination / Defense Production Act Section 101 framing for recoverable critical materials — attribute the policy colour; do not treat as desk legal analysis. Soft FLAG: company projection that global rare-earth demand will triple by 2035 is company market framing.

Buildout next: company and Arizona Commerce say a South Carolina rare-earth recycling campus is in development to combine magnet recovery and refining on one site. Manufacturing Dive places that second U.S. location in Chesterfield County / McBee, reports more than $82 million invested, groundbreaking earlier this year, about 90 jobs expected, and readiness toward 2028. Soft FLAG: Kingston, Ontario 2025 facility and $75 million funding rounds cited by Manufacturing Dive are background from that outlet — not restated as Mesa load-bearing.

Soft FLAG: company completion-in-17-months claim is Cyclic’s schedule framing. Soft FLAG: Arizona Commerce’s “first facility of its kind” language from Sandra Watson is partner framing parallel to the company “first” claim.

What to watch without mood: whether later-September first shipments post as dated customer deliveries; South Carolina campus schedule updates; any published Mag-Xtract tonnage after the opening window.

Floor: Cyclic Mesa open 9 Sep — MagCycle automated magnet separation; up to 25,000 t/yr feedstock; Mag-Xtract front end; first shipments expected later Sep.