Australian Rare Earths (AR3) has achieved an Australian-first for a rare earths project of its kind, producing first pilot-scale mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC).
MREC was produced from approximately 800kg of bulk sample taken from AR3’s Koppamurra rare earths project in Victoria and South Australia, with the pilot testing taking place in collaboration with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).
AR3 said this is a first for an Australian ionic clay-hosted rare earth resource, and marks a key milestone for the company as it advances Koppamurra towards production.
“This is an excellent result pointing to the potential economic recoverability of the MREE (middle rare earth elements) at the Koppamurra project,” AR3 managing director Rick Pobjoy said.
“The ease with which the process can be undertaken utilising readily available equipment, to recover REEs in solution, gives validation to our belief that Koppamurra will be a long-term rare earths supplier of global significance.
“Potential offtake partners are engaged and looking forward to receiving samples of the MREC to confirm the compatibility of the carbonate with their downstream processing techniques.”
AR3 said initial MREC is being used for marketing purposes as it continues to develop its offtake relationships, including with Neo Performance Materials which signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AR3 in October 2022.
The MoU is structured as both a joint development agreement and an offtake agreement and involves Neo providing technical support to AR3 to test Koppamurra samples and optimise the Koppamurra flowsheet to reduce impurities in its MREC product.
The agreement also involves Neo potentially purchasing 50 per cent of Koppamurra’s MREC capacity from its first module of production.
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