Metallium (ASX:MTM) has achieved positive test results using its Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology across rare earth ores, germanium-bearing industrial wastes, spent catalytic converters, and red mud.
Testing was initiated at the request of industry participants across the defence, manufacturing, and critical minerals sectors, with commercial discussions ongoing.
The company converted raw, unbeneficiated rare earth ore containing roughly 12% total rare earth oxides directly into a mixed rare earth chloride product grading over 83%. The initial unoptimised test achieved more than four times enrichment of neodymium and praseodymium.
Germanium enrichment reached up to 280 times from zinc smelter waste, 240 times from semiconductor manufacturing waste, and 35 times from defence-related industrial waste.
Testing on spent automotive catalytic converters produced a platinum group metal (PGM)-rich product with over 60% purity containing platinum, palladium, and rhodium in a single treatment cycle. Metallium notes the process reduces processing time by roughly 75% compared to conventional multi-stage platinum group metal recycling processes.
Meanwhile, red mud testing removed roughly 99% of iron and 94% of silicon while retaining around 95% of aluminium, concentrating gallium into a separate product stream.
Managing Director Michael Walshe says the results across rare earths, germanium, PGMs, and red mud demonstrate the versatility of the platform and “its potential to solve very different processing challenges across multiple critical metal supply chains”.
“One of the most important outcomes from our broader development program has been demonstrating that Flash Joule Heating is not limited to a single commodity or feedstock,” Walshe says.
“We are particularly encouraged by the rare earth results. Producing a high-grade rare earth chloride intermediate directly from raw, unbeneficiated ore demonstrates the potential to materially simplify the front end of conventional rare earth processing.”
Metallium says it is still working with Indium and other major semiconductor suppliers to progress strategic sourcing initiatives.
In the meantime, development workstreams will focus on recovery, selectivity, and product purity optimisation, further feedstock testing, and flowsheet development, among others.
Metallium is an industrial technology company and mineral explorer pioneering its FJH technology. It specialises in the sustainable recovery of critical, precious, and rare earth metals from e-waste, semiconductor waste, and ores.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
