Paladin Expands Rare Earth Recovery Network Through Strategic Partnerships in South Korea and the Netherlands
Paladin Envirotech today announced a new strategic partnership with Daeheung M&T , an investor and strategic partner headquartered in Suwon, South Korea , and the expansion of its European operations in Helmont, Netherlands, following the acquisition of R&L Recycling . These developments will strengthen the rare earth element supply chains in allied countries and outside of China.
These announcements represent a significant step in Paladin Envirotech’s international growth strategy, bringing its total investment for global expansion to $85 million. This enables the company to deploy RECapture’s rare earth recovery capabilities and expand the deployment of rare earth recycling technology developed by its joint venture partner, Critical Minerals Recycling, Inc. (CMR), to all allied markets.
Luke Ray, Vice President of Critical Resources and Defense at Paladin, stated: “Globally, we are clearly moving beyond mere resource extraction to building resilient end-to-end supply chains that can withstand geopolitical turmoil. Through our partnerships in South Korea and the Netherlands, we are extending our ability to manage these supply chains across our allied markets. This ensures that critical resources can be recovered, retained, and reinvested within a reliable supply chain. The urgency of this effort is increasing as demand for rare earth elements for magnets is projected to triple by 2035. ”
These announcements come amidst accelerating global cooperation to ensure the supply of critical resources. The European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act sets a target of reducing dependence on specific third countries to below 65% by 2030. Meanwhile, US-led partnerships are expanding processing capabilities within the region, building “friend-shoring” supply chains among friendly nations, and strengthening the industrial bases of allied countries.
At the same time, South Korea is pursuing a national strategy aimed at reducing its dependence on imports of critical resources, including rare earth elements, and expanding recycling through the development of new infrastructure and strengthening its resource security system. The strategic partnership with Daeheung M&T directly supports this movement and represents the introduction of the country’s first rare earth magnet recycling technology. This partnership will enable the domestic procurement, collection, and processing of used magnet materials, establishing the necessary logistics and raw material supply system to support domestic refining, which South Korea has previously relied on external markets for.
Han Jae-hyun, Chairman and CEO of Daeheung M&T, stated: “While South Korea has long been a leader in advanced manufacturing, like many countries, it has relied on external supply chains for critical resources. Our partnership with Paladin will bring the capabilities proven through our operations in the United States to the Korean market. This will enable domestic recovery and refining of rare earth materials, leading to a reduction in import dependence.”
Daeheung M&T, a company with 30 years of industry leadership in the wet smelting of precious metal-containing materials, will collaborate with Paladin and CMR to introduce rare earth recycling capabilities into its existing operations. This will include Paladin and CMR’s proprietary processing technologies, technical training, and the development of locally-specified facilities and equipment to support the large-scale recovery and recycling of rare earth magnets.
Beyond initial implementation, the two companies will also explore strategies for commercializing the recovered materials. This includes processing, refining, and distribution within South Korea and across allied markets. Furthermore, they will collaborate on regulatory compliance, licensing, and collaboration with industry partners.
In parallel with this, Paladin Envirotech is expanding its European base in Helmont, Netherlands. This location will serve as a strategic hub for the recovery and processing of critical resources in the European market, supporting both commercial and defense-related supply chains in the region.
Brian Dieselhorst, CEO of Paladin Envirotech, stated: “Building circular supply chains is a global strategic challenge. What we are building is a secure, traceable, and integrated system that keeps high-value materials within the economies of our allies, reduces reliance on hostile supply chains, and returns end-of-life assets back into the manufacturing process.”
The expansion to South Korea and the Netherlands reflects a broader strategy to build decentralized recovery and processing hubs across the United States and its allies. This responds to growing demand from hyperscalers, manufacturers, and defense contractors seeking secure, closed-loop supply chains, driven by government and policy initiatives.
About Paladin Envirotech
Founded in 2025, Paladin Envirotech is a secure technology lifecycle management company that helps organizations safely, compliantly, and at scale dispose of their end-of-life technology assets. The company provides IT asset disposal (ITAD), certified data destruction, asset recovery, and electronics recycling services through a single end-to-end platform. Serving hyperscalers, government agencies, and enterprise clients in North America, Europe, and Asia, Paladin Envirotech protects sensitive data, maximizes asset value, and drives a circular economy through responsible technology management.
Paladin, in collaboration with its joint venture partner Critical Materials Recycling (CMR), is working to strengthen the global critical resource supply chain by recovering rare earth elements and strategically important resources from end-of-life electronics and manufacturing waste. Through CMR’s proprietary, patented Advanced Dissolution Recycling (ADR) technology, this partnership provides a scalable, environmentally friendly alternative to conventional mining. Together, the two companies are promoting the circular use of valuable resources, reducing reliance on overseas sources, and supporting manufacturing, energy, defense, and technology sectors in the United States and its allies.
About Daeheung
Daeheung is a South Korea-based metal recycling and refining company specializing in the recovery and refining of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium from electronic scrap, industrial waste, spent catalysts, and wastewater. The company operates advanced processing and analysis facilities, including automated crushing equipment, wet recovery equipment, electrolytic refining equipment, and pyrochemical analysis laboratories, providing environmentally conscious resource recovery services to customers in the electronics, semiconductor, automotive, and petrochemical industries.
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