Viridis Mining and Minerals (ASX:VMM) reports its demonstration plant achieved magnetic rare earth oxide (MREO) recoveries averaging 78.8%, with a median of 80.3% and maximum of 80.9%, in July 2026.
Meanwhile, total rare earth oxide (TREO) recoveries averaged 64.0%.
These exceed the metallurgical assumptions of the Prefeasibility Study (PFS), which outlined 76% MREO and 57% TREO.
Managing Director Rafael Moreno says the plant continues to exceed expectations while marking another important milestone in Colossus’ project development.
“Successfully operating under continuous 24-hour automated conditions is a significant achievement in itself,” Moreno says.
“However, the most vital outcome is that we are consistently achieving metallurgical recoveries above those assumed in our PFS.
“Every percentage point improvement in recovery translates directly into higher rare earth production from the same ore feed, creating the potential for meaningful improvements in project economics as we progress towards the [Definitive Feasibility Study].”
The demonstration plant processes 100kg per hour of clay feed and replicates the proposed commercial facility flowsheet.
Feed material has been sourced from trenches CW-01 and CW-02 in the Northern Concessions, which represent the first 18 to 24 months of commercial feedstock.
The trenches contain 557 tonnes and 569 tonnes respectively, with TREO grades of 2,794 parts per million (ppm) and 2,933 ppm, compared to the PFS life-of-mine average of 3,380 ppm across 98.5 million tonnes.
Process improvements implemented over the past two months have focused on mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) precipitation mechanics, filtration optimisation, and counter current decantation circuit enhancements.
Viridis is progressing product qualification work with strategic offtake partner Solvay (EBR:SOLB), with MREC samples shipped to its La Rochelle facility in France.
Meanwhile, the demonstration plant has validated critical process equipment performance and enabled the company to finalise key capex and opex assumptions for the Definitive Feasibility Study, due for completion in August 2026.
Located in Minas Gerais, Brazil, the Colossus Project now aims to declare a mineral resource estimate and ore reserve for rare earth elements with the completion of the PFS.
Viridis Mining and Minerals is a resource explorer and developer with assets in Brazil, Canada, and Australia.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
