Everest Metals Corporation (ASX:EMC) has completed an engineering Scoping Study prepared by Edith Cowan University for rubidium extraction at its Mt Edon Critical Minerals Project in Western Australia.
The company’s Direct Rubidium Extraction (DRE) technology has achieved up to 97% rubidium recovery, with a provisional patent filed to protect this breakthrough.
Subject to further technical and economic studies, Everest is positioning itself as a potential supplier to the global rubidium market, supporting Australia’s strategic role in the secure and sovereign critical mineral supply chain.
A rare and valuable critical mineral, rubidium is vital for high-tech industries such as defence, aerospace, and communications, with the global market projected to grow from US$4.46 billion ($6.87 billion) in 2023 to US$7.2 billion by 2032.
Everest says strategic partnerships with Edith Cowan University and CSIRO are driving technical advancements, while funding applications, including the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA), and will support the company’s path to a commercial pilot plant.
With a ‘high-grade’ maiden resource of 3.6 million tonnes at 0.22% Rb₂O, and 0.07% Li₂O (at 0.10% Rb₂O cut-off), containing over 7,900 tonnes of rubidium oxide (Rb₂O), the Mt Edon Project represents a significant critical mineral opportunity.
Everest is exploring grant funding opportunities for scaling up to a pilot plant, as rubidium is a critical material used in high-tech applications, including defence, military, aerospace, and communications.
This development is expected to not only strengthen commercial and geopolitical interest in the Mt Edon project but also support access to future funding opportunities through domestic and global critical minerals initiatives and aligned capital sources.
The executive order issued by US President Donald Trump in April 2025, calls for a Section 232 investigation into the national security risks associated with America’s dependence on imported processed critical minerals and related products.
The executive order emphasises the urgent need to develop secure, transparent, and sovereign-aligned supply chains for critical minerals essential to defence, the energy transition, and advanced manufacturing.
The Mt Edon critical minerals project in Western Australia, which Everest says is Australia’s highest-grade rubidium discovery, is positioned to capitalise on this strategic shift.
The company is planning to join the Defence Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC), a US Department of Defense-funded program focused on developing the industrial workforce, sustaining critical production, commercialising research and development efforts, and rapidly scaling emerging technologies for strategic and critical materials.
Everest has also submitted an application for funding under the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia METS Innovation Program. The application requests matched funding to support forthcoming metallurgical and rubidium purification test work, aimed at bridging the gap between bench-scale studies and a commercial pilot plant.
The outcome of the application is anticipated in June 2025.
CEO Mark Caruso says the company’s breakthrough rubidium extraction results showcase the power of its innovative direct rubidium extraction technology, paving the way for Australia’s first rubidium industry in Western Australia.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with our partners to scale up the Mt Edon Project, unlocking its potential to meet global demand for this critical mineral and drive economic growth,” the CEO says.
Everest’s proprietary Direct Rubidium Extraction (DRE) technology, developed in collaboration with ECU’s Mineral Recovery Research Centre (MRRC), has demonstrated results including initial tests achieving 85% rubidium recovery using a specialised extraction process; a refined process with ion exchanger and precipitation methods, yielding 91% recovery, and producing rubidium chloride (RbCl); and optimised beneficiation and leaching, achieving 97% rubidium recovery.
The process involves mining and beneficiating to concentrate rubidium-bearing minerals ore, followed by roasting, leaching, and crystallisation to produce RbCl. A simplified process flow shows this streamlined approach, designed for efficiency and scalability.
A provisional patent filed in February 2025 protects this method.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Everest
