Jeff Gourley
Chemical Engineer, MSChE, MBAStrategic & Engineering AdvisorMore than 25 years in refinery, petrochemical, industrial operations, process engineering, manufacturing, and business strategy.
AMERICA'S FIRST FRIENDLY RARE EARTH
Engineering America's
Rare Earth Future.
Built in Houston. Rooted in Texas. Dedicated to strengthening Texas and America.
AFFRE FOUNDING LEADERSHIP
Engineering and science at the foundation.
AFFRE is guided by experienced leaders with technical, scientific, and industrial expertise in rare earths, chemical processing, manufacturing, and large-scale operations.
Rich Miskowski
Chemist, BSChemScientific AdvisorMore than 40 years applying chemistry across industrial and commercial applications, including rare earth work dating to the 1970s.
Dr. Brian Mueller
Doctor of Chemistry, Ph.D.Published Consultant and Advisor | Houston, TexasDr. Mueller is a published chemist whose research experience includes federally funded work. As AFFRE's Published Consultant and Advisor, he contributes scientific expertise, research review, and an evidence-based perspective to the organization's work and public-policy communications.
Roth Gourley
Sales and Business RelationsHouston, TexasRoth's acumen spans sales and marketing, product development, and C-Suite relationship building. He has worked with major companies and retailers including Walmart and Procter & Gamble, and has decades of experience working with and selling to physicians, hospitals, and healthcare organizations.
WHO WE ARE
Engineering and science lead.
Publishing communicates.
AFFRE is a Houston-centered engineering, scientific, partnership, and industrial development organization focused on practical pathways from rare earth resources to processing, separation, refining, qualification, manufacturing, and resilient delivery.
We were established on the belief that enduring industrial capability is built through engineering excellence, scientific integrity, responsible stewardship, and collaboration. Our work distinguishes carefully between established facts, engineering analysis, emerging concepts, and future possibilities.
Engineering Excellence
Can it be built and sustained?
Scientific Integrity
Does the evidence support it?
Responsible Stewardship
Protect what matters.
Long-Term Thinking
Build beyond today.
Respectful Dialogue
Challenge the idea. Respect the person.
OUR APPROACH
Engineering before advocacy.
AFFRE is not presenting itself as the entire solution. We are offering a disciplined contribution: engineering leadership, scientific guidance, responsible process development, and a framework for collaboration and evaluation.
Test before scale.
Validation precedes expansion. Claims follow evidence—not enthusiasm.
Engineer stewardship in.
Water, waste, safety, material handling and surrounding communities belong inside process design, not after it.
Keep decision gates real.
Preserve the ability to stop, pause, redirect or terminate when evidence does not support continuation.
TEXAS FIRST INITIATIVE
Texas transforms resources through engineering.
Texas brings together engineering talent, chemical and process-industry experience, advanced manufacturing, logistics, research institutions, skilled trades, capital, and a culture of practical execution.
AFFRE's Texas First Strategic Investment Framework invites disciplined evaluation of a Texas-centered rare earth capability combining pilot operations, resource access, Houston engineering, modular/mobile processing, manufacturing, workforce development, governance, and long-term stewardship options.
Texas First.
Built to Strengthen America.
Build strategic Rare Earth Element capability in Texas—and use that capability to strengthen America.
Read our work →RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS
Texas First Initiative
Engineering the Next American Industrial Capability
AFFRE publications explore the engineering, chemistry, industrial capability and stewardship questions that shape America's rare earth future. Our newest publication examines why Texas is positioned to evaluate and build domestic rare earth processing and separation capability.
Houston, Texas · 2026
Read: Why Texas Can Lead America's Rare Earth Processing Future
AFFRE PUBLICATIONS · TEXAS FIRSTENGINEERING.
SCIENCE.
STEWARDSHIP.
FOR TEXAS.America's First Friendly Rare Earth
SCIENCE.
STEWARDSHIP.
FOR TEXAS.America's First Friendly Rare Earth
WORK WITH AFFRE
Serious work begins with serious questions.
AFFRE welcomes informed dialogue with engineering, scientific, industrial, academic, public-sector and strategic partners who can help test assumptions, strengthen evidence and build practical American capability.
Start a ConversationCONTACT
Houston, Texas
America's First Friendly Rare Earth