ASX-listed Ionic Rare Earths has appointed Sean Sargent COO of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

As the company focuses on delivering a commercial rare earth magnet recycling facility in the UK, Sargent will oversee the company's international expansion across the EMEA region.

The move follows an increasing global focus on securing ex-China rare earth supply chains, with Ionic's wholly-owned Belfast subsidiary, Ionic Technologies, advancing sovereign supply of rare earth oxides (REOs) for advanced manufacturing, defence and renewable-energy applications in the UK and globally.

Sargent is a senior executive director with substantial experience in business leadership and project management. He recently served as CEO of Green Lithium, leading, for four years, this startup business that aims to build a low-carbon, sustainable, battery-grade lithium refinery in the UK. During his tenure at Green Lithium, Sargent successfully raised public and private funding and drove efforts to secure supply and offtake contracts with miners and commodity traders.

He has also held leadership roles across the engineering sector in the nuclear and defence industries for 25 years, and spent a further five years on maritime civil engineering projects. Sargent has led businesses in chemical refining, in nuclear new-build, and on operational and decommissioning sites, with 18 years’ experience at company executive level.

His roles have included working with government bodies, banks, investors, public and private sector organisations, regulators, trade unions, the public and a wide range of diverse professional teams.

Welcoming his appointment, Ionic MD and CEO Tim Harrison comments that Sargent's appointment is the first of several key planned executive appointments the company will be making in the near term.

“Sargent’s track record of successful project delivery and his relationships across the UK’s defence and renewables sectors will be invaluable as we work to ensure the successful launch of a magnet recycling facility, the first for the UK and one of many planned globally as part of our international expansion drive.

“Our patented, made-in-Belfast magnet recycling technology offers an innovative solution for the supply of magnet REOs, and we are rapidly building an experienced international team to execute on our development plans for the benefit of all stakeholders," Harrison states.

With the company's current expansion plans across the UK, Europe, North and South America and beyond, having experienced and talented international management is essential. 

Ionic Technologies’ Belfast plant was the first producer of recycled, individually separated magnet REOs in the Western world, with the company moving rapidly to commercialise rare earth separation, refining, and recycling.