Ionic MT Appoints Ryan Wilde as Head of Operations to Scale U.S. Critical Materials Platform

PROVO, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ionic MT, a leader in developing a sovereign U.S. supply chain for critical materials, today announced the appointment of Ryan Wilde as its new Head of Operations. Wilde, a 19-year veteran of global mining leader Rio Tinto, will be responsible for scaling Ionic MT’s vertically integrated manufacturing platform, which transforms a single domestic halloysite resource into three distinct streams of critical materials.

Wilde will report directly to Founder and CEO Andre Zeitoun and will oversee all manufacturing, supply chain, quality, safety, and project execution as the company transitions from pilot operations to full-scale commercial production at its Provo, Utah facility.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan to the Ionic MT leadership team at this critical inflection point for the company,” said Andre Zeitoun. “Ryan’s extensive experience in managing complex, large-scale metallurgical operations and leading high-performing technical teams is exactly what we need to execute on our vision. His systems-engineering mindset and proven track record in driving operational excellence are a perfect fit for our mission to build a resilient, domestic supply chain for the critical materials that power our future”.

Wilde joins Ionic MT after a distinguished career at Rio Tinto, where he held numerous senior technical and operational leadership roles. Most recently as Principal Technical Advisor, he led cross-functional teams in the operation of complex metallurgical facilities, including smelting furnaces and hydrometallurgical plants that utilize processes such as ion exchange. His career includes managing a high-value $120M capital project and a deep expertise in process optimization, continuous improvement, and asset management, underscored by his Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

“I am incredibly excited to join Ionic MT at such a pivotal moment,” said Ryan Wilde. “The company has developed a groundbreaking approach to materials production by establishing a fully domestic value chain from a single resource. My role will focus on implementing the systems, processes, and operational discipline necessary to scale production safely, efficiently, and reliably—ensuring delivery of high-purity critical materials to partners across the defense, energy, and advanced technology sectors.”

In his role as Head of Operations, Wilde will have direct oversight of all manufacturing, procurement, supply chain management, quality assurance, and environmental health & safety (EH&S) for Ionic MT’s integrated operations. He will lead the technology transfer and production adoption process as new technologies are validated by the R&D team, ensuring they achieve target output, safety, and efficiency metrics in full-scale production.

About Ionic MT: Ionic MT is a Critical Materials Technology Platform producing Ionisil™ nano-silicon, IonAL™ boehmite alumina, and individual oxides from an ion-adsorbed suite of critical elements and rare earths, all from a single U.S. halloysite resource. Our patented continuous-flow metallothermic and zero process-waste architecture is designed for scalable, domestic supply to advanced batteries, aluminum value chains, and strategic industries.