5E Advanced Materials, Inc. has taken a significant step in bolstering its competitive position by filing an omnibus patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This application, which includes 167 claims, covers the company’s proprietary, closed-loop in-situ leach (ISL) mining and production process. If granted, these patents could create substantial barriers for competitors seeking to replicate 5E’s technology, reinforcing the company’s market leadership in the borate mining sector.
The patent application encompasses key aspects of 5E’s mining process, including the production of boric acid, gypsum, sodium chloride, and the management of metal impurities. Over the coming weeks, 5E intends to file several additional standalone applications, further strengthening its intellectual property portfolio. This portfolio will cover critical steps from injection to recovery, processing, and reinjection, forming a robust foundation for the company’s long-term commercial and strategic objectives.
Paul Weibel, Chief Executive Officer of 5E Advanced Materials, emphasized the importance of this patent filing. “With 5E filing the omnibus application, we are taking an important step to secure the intellectual property that underpins our differentiated ISL mining and processing platform that has led to our technical successes,” Weibel stated. He highlighted that 5E’s closed-loop process, developed over decades of experience, is designed to lower costs, improve sustainability, and enhance mining efficiency. The patent filing aims to protect this know-how and support the company’s long-term goals.
The ISL borate mining techniques at the Fort Cady Project have a rich history, dating back to pilot programs in the early 1980s and mineral resource discoveries in 1964. Primary exploration work and land acquisition occurred over the following decades, with major permitting initiatives commencing in 1990. This extensive history, combined with permits from federal, state, and local agencies, positions 5E with one of the most strategically advanced and de-risked ISL boron assets in the United States.
5E obtained approval to commence mining from the United States Environmental Protection Agency in November 2023 and recommenced ISL mining in January 2024. The company’s mining operations utilize ISL technology, initially employing four vertical injection-recovery wells. In July 2025, two vertical injection-recovery wells were converted to horizontal wells with downhole fiber optics to pilot ISL techniques and demonstrate baseline head grades, temperatures, impurity profiles, injection rates, and recovery rates.
The mined solution is processed into boric acid and gypsum at 5E’s Small-Scale Facility (SSF), where it has demonstrated meeting the highest commercial product specifications. The novel processing technology produces boric acid, gypsum, and calcium chloride via ISL technology while regenerating hydrochloric acid via aqueous chemistry. This closed-loop ISL approach is designed to minimize waste, reduce reagent consumption, lower water and energy use, and limit surface disturbance compared with conventional open-pit mining. These advantages align with increasing demand from customers and end-markets for more sustainable mineral production.
By submitting for patent protection for its proprietary ISL process in the United States, 5E aims to underpin a secure, domestic source of boron, a U.S.-designated critical mineral used in defense, clean energy, and high-tech applications. This strategic move aligns with 5E’s goal to advance toward scaled production and long-term offtake discussions. The company’s mission is to become a vertically integrated global leader and supplier of refined borates and advanced boron materials, complemented by calcium-based co-products and potentially other by-products such as lithium carbonate.
The patent filings are part of 5E’s broader strategy to address global decarbonization, energy independence, food security, national security, and the defense sector. The company believes that government regulation and incentives focused on domestic manufacturing and supply chains, along with capital investments across industries, will drive demand for end-use applications like solar and wind energy infrastructure, neodymium-ferro-boron magnets, defense applications, lithium-ion batteries, and other critical material applications.
This news could significantly shape the development of the mining sector by setting a precedent for the importance of intellectual property protection in the mining industry. It underscores the value of innovation in developing sustainable and efficient mining technologies. The successful implementation of 5E’s closed-loop ISL process could inspire other companies to invest in similar technologies, leading to a more sustainable and competitive mining sector. Additionally, the focus on securing a domestic source of critical minerals aligns with broader geopolitical and economic trends, highlighting the importance of supply chain resilience and national security considerations in the mining industry.