Critica (ASX:CRI) has achieved a “high-value” result at its Jupiter Rare Earth Project, 250km east of Geraldton Port in Western Australia’s Midwest.
The company’s latest pilot plant and Scoping Study discovered both an 81% magnet rare earths recovery and a 71% total rare earth oxides (TREO) recovery at the site. The latter figure represents a 45% improvement and shows the presence of neodymium, praseodymium, and other heavy rare earth elements.
The study also reveals intermediate concentrate continues to produce an upgrade from feed of about 7.5 times.
“These results provide important validation that the beneficiation circuit can deliver the expected TREO recoveries to an intermediate concentrate, supporting overall recovery across the flowsheet from feed through to mixed rare earth product,” Critica CEO Jacob Deysel says.
“This provides increased confidence in the scalability of the process and its ability to support development assumptions for the Scoping Study.”
Critica now plans to keep optimising then scaling-up the pilot plant as well as completing both drill-hole validation and mineral resource modelling.
The company intends to progress heap leach evaluation and alternative metallurgical test programmes. The Scoping Study will also be completed.
Critica is a rare earths producer with assets in Western Australia.
Write to Richard Szabo at Mining.com.au
Images: Critica
