Hertha Metals Hits 99.95% Iron Purity Ahead of Groundbreaking for First Commercial Plant

The company meets the purity specification required by permanent magnet manufacturers, as Hertha adds a VP of Operations and engages Mark1 to prepare for commercial-scale production

CONROE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hertha Metals, developer of the world's first single-step process for producing steel and high-purity iron at lower cost, has achieved iron production at 99.95% (3N5) purity, meeting the specification required by top rare earth magnet manufacturers. This makes Hertha the first U.S. company to reach this specification with fully domestic inputs, and establishes a domestic source for a material the U.S. currently imports almost entirely. The milestone comes as defense manufacturers face a January 1, 2027 deadline to reduce reliance on Chinese-origin magnets and critical materials, while U.S. industry races to qualify domestic alternatives.

High-purity iron is an essential input to rare-earth magnets, making up roughly 70% by weight of the neodymium magnets used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, defense systems, and more. For magnet manufacturers, purity is critical. Even trace impurities can degrade magnetic strength and durability that impact performance.

"High-purity iron is one of the least visible materials behind the magnets that power everything from electric vehicles to defense systems, and today almost none of it is made in America,” said Laureen Meroueh, CEO and founder of Hertha Metals. “We've now demonstrated that we can produce magnet-grade iron domestically, creating a new pathway to build a domestic supply chain."

Producing iron at this purity typically requires an electrolytic refining process with numerous processing steps. Hertha meets the same specification through their unique pyrometallurgical process with minimal post processing, simultaneously controlling oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and residual metallic impurities in a single continuous step. By demonstrating 3N5 purity using commercial-grade equipment, Hertha has cleared the technical bar to qualify as a viable supplier, offering a lower-cost, domestic source.

From Proven Process to Commercial Scale

Hertha's next facility, Chalyx, will produce high-purity iron to that specification for rare-earth magnet producers. Moving from demonstration to commercial scale shifts the hard part from the process to the build, and no plant like this has been built before. Hertha has hired steel industry veteran Alec Glenn as VP of Operations to lead the buildout and engaged Mark1, which brings expertise in first-of-a-kind industrial projects, to support engineering and project development.

Glenn comes from JSW Steel USA, where he served as VP of Reliability. He previously held roles at AM/NS Calvert, where he helped bring a greenfield facility online, and spent six years at Nucor Steel, beginning as an electrician. Glenn joins Hertha to lead operations through the buildout and startup of the new facility, bringing three decades of experience taking large-scale steel plants from construction to steady production.

Mark1 is a developer-as-a-service for capital-intensive, emerging industrial technologies. Created by RMI, Third Derivative, and Deep Science Ventures, Mark1 works with technology companies to plan and develop their first commercial-scale projects, drawing on its network and experience with commercialization of innovative industrial decarbonization technologies.

Hertha already operates a demonstration-scale facility in Conroe, Texas, producing at a ton-per-day capacity and refining its process using commercial-grade equipment. The company is now prepared on both quality and process to supply magnet manufacturers with cost-effective and domestic high-purity iron, starting with Chalyx, which breaks ground later this year.

About Hertha Metals

Hertha developed the world’s first single-step process for producing steel and high-purity iron at lower cost and with significantly reduced emissions than conventional methods. This process eliminates the coal-based infrastructure of traditional steelmaking, reducing production costs by more than 20% and emissions by 50%. Hertha operates the largest demonstration-scale single-step steelmaking facility in the United States at its Conroe, Texas pilot plant. The company partners with steel producers and supplies critical high-purity iron to rare-earth magnet manufacturers, helping to secure domestic supply chains and advance American manufacturing competitiveness. For more information, visit herthametals.com.