USA Rare Earth, Pasqal, and Riven Systems Partner to Advance Quantum ML for Critical Mineral Processing

quantumcomputingreport.com Sep 19, 2026

USA Rare Earth, Pasqal, and Riven Systems Partner to Advance Quantum ML for Critical Mineral Processing

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 19, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

USA Rare Earth, Pasqal, and Riven Systems announced a partnership to develop quantum machine learning (QML) models for separating heavy rare earth elements (REEs). Pasqal will supply neutral‑atom quantum processing units and QML algorithms, Riven will generate empirical training data through its autonomous chemistry lab, and USA Rare Earth will provide feedstock flowsheets and validate candidates at its Wheat Ridge, Colorado facility. The collaboration targets high‑selectivity extractants for dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium, aiming to reduce equipment, stages, and energy in commercial REE processing.

💡 Why It Matters

· By integrating quantum computing with automated chemistry, the alliance could accelerate the discovery of more efficient separation agents, potentially reshaping the supply chain for critical materials that power modern electronics and defense systems.

Read full article on quantumcomputingreport.com

DOE Panel Ties Future National Quantum Facility to Proof of Scientific Use

A Department of Energy advisory panel has outlined a three‑phase plan to establish a national quantum computing user facility, contingent on fault‑tolerant systems demonstrating validated scientific value by 2028. The roadmap, presented by the DOE Office of Science’s Scientific Computing Advisory Committee, calls for 2026‑2028 “Quantum Grand Challenges” to benchmark progress through real scientific results rather than qubit counts. Milestones include 50‑100 logical qubits, 10,000‑100,000 logical operations, and 24‑hour end‑to‑end calculations with independent validation. The proposal envisions a future facility integrating cloud and laboratory systems with supercomputers, AI, and experimental platforms while maintaining competition among hardware approaches.

💡 By tying the creation of a national quantum facility to demonstrable scientific outcomes, the plan shifts focus from hardware bragging rights to tangible research impact, potentially accelerating adoption across chemistry, materials science, and physics.

quantumcomputingreport.com · Sep 19

Pasqal and LG CNS Sign Three-Year MoU to Integrate Neutral-Atom QPUs into…

French quantum‑computing firm Pasqal (NASDAQ: PSQL) and LG CNS, the AI‑focused subsidiary of South Korea’s LG Group, signed a three‑year memorandum of understanding on September 18, 2026. The deal, announced during the France‑Korea summit in Paris, sets out a roadmap to embed Pasqal’s neutral‑atom quantum processing units (QPUs) into LG CNS’s AI Haus platform and commercial AI data‑center infrastructure across South Korea and the broader Asia‑Pacific region. The partnership will create hybrid quantum‑classical systems that combine Pasqal’s hardware with LG CNS’s cloud‑management and system‑integration services, targeting compute‑intensive industrial, scientific and enterprise AI workloads. It also establishes joint operational frameworks for resource scheduling and dynamic workload execution, and outlines a go‑to‑market strategy that positions South Korea as an APAC hub for commercial deployment.

💡 By marrying neutral‑atom QPUs with enterprise cloud services, the alliance accelerates the practical rollout of quantum‑enhanced AI at scale, giving early adopters a competitive edge in high‑performance computing.

quantumcomputingreport.com · Sep 19

Quantum B Secures European Patent for Quantum Conference Key Agreement Protocol

Quantum B, Inc. received European Patent EP 4462727 for its Quantum Conference Key Agreement (QCKA) protocol, which uses a central quantum server to emit time‑bin encoded photons that form multi‑qubit GHZ states. Network nodes measure these states locally and exchange classical messages to reach majority consensus, offering a quantum alternative to proof‑of‑work and voting algorithms. The patent supports Quantum B’s broader portfolio, including its emulated QKD platform, and aligns with its participation in the EU‑funded Poseidon project on post‑quantum identity protection.

💡 By enabling consensus through entanglement, the QCKA protocol could reduce the communication overhead that hampers current multi‑party systems, potentially accelerating secure, low‑trust distributed applications.

thequantuminsider.com · Sep 19

Global Quantum + AI Challenge Advances After Phase 1 Draws More Than…

The Global Quantum + AI Challenge has entered its review phase after Phase 1 attracted more than 1,000 entrants worldwide to solve five enterprise‑defined quantum computing problems. Finalists will compete in a November 2026–February 2027 proof‑of‑concept sprint with support from AWS, Classiq, South Carolina Quantum, and MITRE, and compete for a combined $200,000 prize pool across five tracks. The challenge focuses on aerospace modeling, healthcare simulation, energy‑grid planning, fraud detection, and autonomous‑systems development, with results expected in March or April 2027.

💡 By funneling global talent into industry‑specific quantum problems, the program accelerates real‑world validation of quantum technologies, bridging the gap between theoretical research and commercial deployment.

quantumcomputingreport.com · Sep 19

Diraq and Dell Technologies Partner to Integrate Silicon QPUs with High-Performance Classical…

Diraq, a silicon spin‑qubit quantum developer, and Dell Technologies have launched a technical partnership to embed Diraq’s silicon QPUs into Dell’s high‑performance computing (HPC) and AI server infrastructure. The collaboration deploys a Dell HPC cluster directly in Diraq’s Sydney lab, co‑locating classical servers with the QPU to achieve ultra‑low‑latency quantum‑classical interconnects. Initial work focuses on hybrid workflow orchestration, automating real‑time qubit calibration, tuning, and quantum error‑correction protocols, while evaluating applications in optimization, supply‑chain logistics, finance, and drug discovery.

💡 The integration demonstrates that silicon spin‑qubit processors, built on standard CMOS processes, can be seamlessly coupled with enterprise data‑center hardware, paving the way for scalable, hybrid quantum‑classical workloads in commercial settings.

thequantuminsider.com · Sep 19

Tom Darras (Welinq): Scaling quantum computers by networking shared entanglement

In a recent interview, Tom Darras, CEO and co‑founder of Welinq, outlined the company’s approach to scaling quantum computers through quantum networking that shares entanglement across processors. Welinq is building a full stack—including qubit‑photon interfaces, optical links, entangled photon sources and long‑lived quantum memories—to create modular, scale‑out clusters and provide quantum‑safe links between data centers. The firm tracks key performance metrics such as entanglement generation rate, fidelity and memory lifetime, and has developed the Arachne compiler to distribute quantum circuits across multiple QPUs. Darras said the technology supports both homogeneous and heterogeneous quantum systems and is already being piloted in “quantum‑augmented” data centers that interconnect regional facilities over metropolitan distances.

💡 By turning entanglement into a networking resource, Welinq enables quantum processors to combine computational power without building monolithic machines, opening a practical path to large‑scale quantum computing and secure data‑center communications.