The merger between Blackboxstocks Inc. and REalloys Inc. has reached a significant milestone with the appointment of General John M. "Jack" Keane as a Designate Director to REalloys' board. General Keane, a retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, will formally join the board upon completion of the merger, which is pending NASDAQ listing approval after the Securities and Exchange Commission declared Blackboxstocks' Form S-4 registration statement effective.
General Keane's appointment represents a strategic move to bolster REalloys' mission of creating a secure, Western-aligned supply chain for heavy rare earth elements. His 37-year military career, which included commanding the 101st Airborne Division and serving as Chief Operating Officer of the Army with oversight of 1.5 million personnel across 120 countries, brings critical national security expertise to the company's leadership. General Keane was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in March 2020 and currently serves as Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War.
"Dependence on adversaries for these materials is a vulnerability we can no longer accept," General Keane stated regarding rare earth supply chains. "I believe that REalloys is taking decisive action in its plan to build the domestic capacity we need to remain free and independent." His perspective underscores the national security implications of rare earth dependency, particularly for defense systems and critical infrastructure.
REalloys Chairman Stephen S. duMont emphasized the strategic importance of the appointment, noting that "we are not just building a company; we are securing the industrial foundation of the free world." The company's integrated approach spans upstream resource development at its Hoidas Lake asset in Saskatchewan, midstream processing in partnership with the Saskatchewan Research Council, and downstream manufacturing at its Ohio facility. This facility serves federal agencies including the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and NASA.
The merger comes at a time when Western nations are seeking to reduce reliance on foreign sources for critical minerals. Rare earth elements are essential components in defense technologies, clean energy systems like wind turbines and electric vehicles, and various high-performance industrial applications. REalloys' board already includes significant diplomatic and policy expertise with Ambassador David MacNaughton, former Canadian Ambassador to the United States, and the Honorable Brad Wall, former Premier of Saskatchewan.
For investors seeking additional information, documents related to the merger are available through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov. Blackboxstocks provides information about its financial technology platform at https://blackboxstocks.com, while REalloys maintains its corporate website at www.realloys.com. The completion of the merger remains subject to customary closing conditions, including final NASDAQ approval.
