The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has received an ionic adsorption clay (IAC) rare earth material bulk sample from ABx Group (ASX:ABX), weighing in at 100kg from its Deep Leads Project in Tasmania.
The sample was retrieved from three trial pits across the project, with material sourced from pit DLP002 dried at 100°C before fragments of basement rock larger than 5mm were extracted.
Extraction represented around 3% of the total mass, remaining 100kg of material.
The sample comprises 77.9 parts per million (ppm) dysprosium and 13.1ppm terbium, graded between 60-69% of extractions for the four magnet rare earths in leach testing at its in-house facilities in Launceston.
Leaching returned an overall total rare earth oxides (TREO) and cerium recovery of 66%, between 53-72% for each rare earth not including cerium.
Cerium returned low extraction rates of 6%, which ABx says is a typical trait of IAC deposits.
ANSTO will use the material to develop a high purity mixed rare carbonate (MREC) sample, which is expected to be returned in Q4 2025.
Managing Director Mark Cooksey says the results from this sample illustrates the potential for “high-value” products returned at a low cost, low impact from the Deep Leads Project.
“A differentiator for ABx is that our technical team has established in-house facilities and capabilities to rapidly advance our understanding of our IAC deposit,” Cooksey says.
“This is very complementary to the world-leading technical capabilities in external organisations, such as ANSTO.”
ABx signed a memorandum of understanding with Ucore Rare Metals (TSX-V:UCU) in September 2024, ahead of an intended binding agreement to supply mixed rare earth carbonate from this project, as reported by Mining.com.au.
The Rubble Mound and Wind Break discoveries, located within the Deep Leads Project, host a resource estimate of 89 million tonnes with TREO averaging at 844 parts per million.
The estimate represents 29% of the project’s total mineralised outline, containing 36ppm dysprosium and terbium.
ABx Group is focused on creating a cleaner future for Australia through its rare earths, fluorine waste recycling, and bauxite projects.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: ABx Group
