Critica (ASX:CRI) has sent the first concentrate from its Jupiter rare earths project in Western Australia to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) for testwork to produce a mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) as part of pilot and scoping studies.
ANSTO will conduct independent leach testwork in aims of producing a mixed rare earth carbonate from a composite sample that assays at 10,000-20,000 parts per million (ppm) of total rare earth oxides.
Specialist consultancy Minutech will be running complementary hydrometallurgical assessments to benchmark processing routes in parallel with ANSTO’s work.
Both programs intend to feed pilot work and economic development by uncovering chemistry and operating conditions from the concentrate.
CEO Jacob Deysel explains that the company is “sharply focused” on the four magnet rare earth oxides to bring the Jupiter Project from resource to revenue.
“Jupiter already demonstrates a clear scale advantage over peer deposits, and with beneficiation delivering an 800% upgrade and around 95% mass reduction through simple physical processes, which points to a materially smaller wet plant and lower capital and operating intensity,” Deysel says.
“ANSTO’s independent leach program, alongside Minutech’s, will define the most effective chemistry to produce Jupiter MREC and directly inform our pilot work and staged studies.
“From mine to magnet, our staged plan is designed to deliver scale, efficiency, and strategic relevance.”
Critica is focused on advancing its Jupiter Project via two de-risking streams running in parallel.
The geology stream will see resource optimisation, infill drilling, assays, and composite sample preparation to strengthen a ‘better-defined’ resource.
The metallurgy stream is looking to build on the known 95% mass rejection and upgrade to 10,000-20,000ppm total rare earth oxides and conduct beneficiation test work to inform mine planning.
Both streams will feed into an upcoming Scoping Study, ahead of Prefeasibility and Definitive Feasibility stages for the project.
The Jupiter Project currently hosts an inferred resource of 640 million tonnes @ 490ppm mixed rare earth oxide at a 400ppm cut-off.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer, Critica
