Critica (ASX:CRI) has established its maiden indicated mineral resource estimate at the Jupiter Rare Earths Project in Western Australia following targeted infill drilling.
The independent estimate, prepared by SRK Consulting, outlines 160 million tonnes (Mt) @ 1,700 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth oxides (TREO) in the indicated category at a 1,000ppm TREO lower cut-off.
The newly announced indicated resource represents approximately 10% of total Jupiter resource tonnage across 10% of the resource area on a 125m by 125m grid.
The total mineral resource now stands at 1.7 billion tonnes (Bt) @ 1,700ppm TREO, incorporating 1.5Bt @ 1,700ppm TREO in the inferred category. Magnet rare earth oxides — neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium — represent about 25% of TREO within the indicated resource and 23% within the inferred resource.
CEO Jacob Deysel says the delivery of Jupiter’s first indicated mineral resource demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted infill drilling completed over the past year.
“The results provide increased confidence in the geological and grade continuity of the infill-drilled area, while the vast majority of the Jupiter resource remains classified as inferred,” Deysel says.
“This gives us confidence in our approach to progressively increasing resource confidence across Jupiter.
“Importantly, the indicated resource also contains a strong contribution from the key magnet rare earths neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium, which together represent approximately 25% of TREO.”
The estimate incorporates drilling to March 2026, with a data cut-off of 6 July 2026, covering 3.3km² of the 42km² resource footprint. Pilot-scale testwork using a process flowsheet of beneficiation, acid baking, water leaching, impurity removal, and precipitation achieved recoveries of 81% for magnet rare earth oxides and 71% for TREO, producing a concentrate grading approximately 3% TREO.
Jupiter is located within the 100%-owned Brothers Project, 550km northeast of Perth and 60km west of Mount Magnet, sitting under 10km from the sealed Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road with access to port infrastructure.
Deysel says the Scoping Study is progressing and will be released shortly.
Critica is a mineral explorer and developer focused on critical minerals like tin, rare earths, and tungsten.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: Critica
