Victory Metals (ASX:VTM) has improved terbium, dysprosium, and scandium grades at its North Stanmore Project in Western Australia, as China’s export bans come into effect defence and high-tech supply chains in December.
The company conducted size-by-fraction separation on ore using -10.9 micrometres cyclosizing, revealing a 53% increase to terbium grades, 25% increase to dysprosium grades, and 100% increase to scandium grades.
CEO Brendan Clark says the company’s increase in grades for these critical elements comes as the global understanding of critical and strategic minerals is growing.
“With a simple and low-cost size fractionation step, we’ve delivered significant grade increases in three of the world’s most strategically important elements, terbium, dysprosium and scandium,” Clark says.
“As governments move to secure non-Chinese supply amid China’s proposed export bans on these elements due to their important role in military, projects like North Stanmore become even more critical.
“Our results show we can concentrate the value upfront, potentially lowering operating costs and boosting payables.”
As reported by Mining.com.au, China’s Ministry of Commerce and General Administration of Customs revealed its list of export licensing requirements on key heavy rare earths in April, to take effect from 1 December 2025.
Located in the Cue region, North Stanmore holds a resource of 320.6 million tonnes total rare earth oxide, prospective for heavy rare earth elements, scandium, hafnium, and gallium.
Victory Metals is an Australian-based explorer focused on developing its flagship North Stanmore Project in Western Australia.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Victory Metals
