Inside the Cowboy Mine How the Halleck Project Reflects America’s New Rare Earth Momentum

Oct 21

By Ozzy Services | Infrastructure Insights

A New Frontier in America’s Critical Minerals

Just outside Halleck, Wyoming, in the quiet foothills north of Interstate 80, a new kind of American project is taking shape. The Cowboy Mine — often referred to as the Halleck Project, isn’t a traditional mining story. It’s a glimpse into the next industrial era: one defined by rare earth elements, modular engineering, and domestic independence.

For decades, the world has relied on foreign supply chains for critical minerals like neodymium and dysprosium — the metals that power electric motors, defense systems, and clean energy technologies. But that dependence is changing fast. Across the American West, companies are building new systems to process and refine rare earths on U.S. soil, and the Cowboy Mine stands as a key chapter in that effort.

At Ozzy Services, we pay close attention to projects like this because they represent the exact challenge we solve every day: turning raw potential into real, field-proven infrastructure.

The Cowboy Mine Story

Mining Meets Modernization

The Cowboy Mine sits within reach of the Bear Lodge mineral district, one of North America’s most promising rare earth regions. This area’s carbonatite-hosted ores contain a blend of light and heavy rare earth elements, the materials at the heart of advanced motors, batteries, and magnetics.

But geology alone doesn’t make a project succeed. What makes Halleck unique is its timing. With federal interest and private investment converging on domestic mineral supply, the Cowboy Mine is becoming a proving ground for new American mining infrastructure, smarter, modular, corrosion-resistant, and built for the future.

The Cowboy Mine is less about what’s in the ground and more about how we bring it to life above ground.

Beyond Extraction

The Real Challenge Lies in Processing

Extracting rare earth elements is only the first 10% of the journey. The real test begins when the slurry hits the pipe.

Rare earth processing involves acidic and abrasive flows that can destroy mild steel within months. Field engineers face extreme conditions, corrosive solutions, variable pH levels, and high solids content that demand precision fabrication and chemical-resistant materials.

That’s where Ozzy Services and similar fabrication specialists come in.
We design and build systems that survive the realities of the field, not just the blueprints.

Our approach includes:

316L and duplex stainless steel for critical piping and containment.
Dual-wall tanks with integrated sumps for spill protection.
Skid-mounted modular systems that can be moved or expanded as mines scale up.
Insulated, field-ready buildings that protect workers and equipment through Wyoming winters.

Every weld, valve, and bracket is made for one purpose, to keep production running safely and efficiently.

Lessons from the Field

Building for Harsh Environments

You can’t build rare earth systems from an office, you build them in the wind, cold, and mud of Wyoming, the Dakotas, and the high plains oil patch. That’s where Ozzy Services cut its teeth.

Our foundation was built in the oil and gas sector, where equipment doesn’t get the luxury of mild conditions or downtime. We’ve spent years designing and fabricating systems that survive subzero starts, corrosive brine, constant vibration, and relentless UV exposure. That experience has shaped every part of how we approach rare earth infrastructure today.

From process buildings with industrial insulation that hold steady in −30°F conditions, to acid-resistant piping and skid-mounted units engineered for quick transport and setup, we’ve learned to make systems that last, even when the environment is trying to break them.

When we walk onto a REE project like the Cowboy Mine, we bring more than stainless steel and welding skill. We bring a field mindset, the kind that plans for frozen valves, heat loss, windborne dust, and expansion cycles that will twist and stress equipment daily.

That’s the hidden advantage the oilfield taught us

Perseverance in the harshest conditions isn’t just about toughness, it’s about preparation.

We’ve already solved the problems that new industries are just beginning to face. Now we’re applying those lessons to rare earth processing , where uptime, safety, and longevity matter just as much as throughput.

When you combine modern automation with rugged fabrication, you don’t just process materials, you process them intelligently and reliably, no matter what the weather throws at you.

The REACT System:

A Model for Modern Processing

At Ozzy Services, we’ve spent the last several years developing what we call the REACT System — Real-Time Elemental Assay and Conditioning Technology.

Originally designed for the Bear Lodge demonstration plant, REACT is a modular skid system that monitors slurry composition, pH, and flow characteristics continuously. When paired with intelligent control valves and in-line filtration, it can fine-tune process chemistry on the fly, saving both reagent costs and time.

For projects like Cowboy and Halleck, where each barrel of PLS (pregnant leach solution) matters, systems like REACT can mean the difference between profitability and inefficiency.

We see Cowboy not as a competitor — but as another opportunity for American companies to work smarter, cleaner, and closer to home.

Why Halleck Matters to America’s Rare Earth Future

The Halleck Project represents something far larger than a single mine. It symbolizes the United States’ renewed focus on critical mineral sovereignty, providing the ability to control not just extraction, but processing, refining, and manufacturing.

Here’s why Halleck matters:

It leverages Wyoming’s existing infrastructure, including rail and skilled trades.
It benefits from proximity to the Bear Lodge REE zone, providing logistical synergy.
It aligns with Department of Energy and Department of Defense goals to secure domestic supply chains.

This isn’t just about mining, it’s about national resilience.
And every piece of that system, from acid tanks to instrumentation panels, has to be built somewhere. Ozzy Services is proud to be one of the companies capable of building it right here in the American West.

Wyoming’s Competitive Edge

Wyoming’s combination of geologic wealth and industrial know-how gives it a competitive edge few regions can match.

While coastal investors talk about “reshoring” and “critical supply chains,” Wyoming is quietly doing the work, fabricating, insulating, and installing the real systems that make mineral production possible.

Projects like Cowboy Mine and Halleck are proof that America doesn’t have to look overseas for innovation. It just has to look west.

Where Ozzy Services Fits In

Ozzy Services isn’t a mining company, we’re the builders that help mining companies succeed.

From custom stainless fabrication and acid-resistant skids, to modular building systems and on-site installations, our role is to make sure infrastructure meets the same standard of resilience as the people who operate it.

Every project we take on in Wyoming — from rare earth processing to uranium header houses — is part of the same mission:

To build the backbone of American industry, one field system at a time.

For the Cowboy Mine and projects like it, that backbone starts with smart engineering and ends with results measured in uptime, safety, and long-term performance.

The Road Ahead

If America succeeds in rebuilding its rare earth supply chain, it will happen through partnerships, between miners, fabricators, engineers, and field crews who understand what it takes to work in places like Halleck.

The Cowboy Mine is one of those rare projects where history, geology, and craftsmanship intersect. It’s a reminder that America’s next industrial revolution won’t come from a boardroom,

it’ll come from the field.

Ready to Discuss Your Project?

If your operation involves rare earths, uranium, or other critical mineral systems in Wyoming, contact us to learn how Ozzy Services supports development from exploration to full-scale production.

james kimbley