Sunrise Energy Metals has nearly doubled its scandium resource at the Syerston project in New South Wales following impressive drilling results.
An updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) for Syerston confirms it as the world’s largest and highest-grade scandium resource, boasting a global resource of 19,007 tonnes at an average grade of 414g/t (300g/t scandium cutoff). This represents a 98 per cent increase in contained scandium.
A high-grade resource of 1155 tonnes of contained scandium was also highlighted with an average grade of 665g/t (600g/t scandium cutoff). This, the company said, represents a 161 per cent increase in contained metal from the previous MRE released in February.
Mineralisation extends to 35m deep, with the zone at Syerston said to form the basis of the ore reserve estimate and mine plan used in a feasibility study – due for completion later this month.
The update comes at a time of limited scandium supply options and concerns that production is unable to scale fast enough to meet global demand.
“The Syerston scandium project will bolster the supply of one of the most important rare earth metals at a time when supply disruptions are becoming the norm,” Sunrise co-chairman Robert Friedland said.
“The measured and indicated resource has increased substantially as a result of the targeted drilling campaign, proving up additional zones of high-grade mineralisation supporting decades of future production.”
Sunrise chief executive officer Sam Riggall echoed Friedland’s sentiment.
“Global supply remains tight since China’s export controls were imposed in April 2025, positioning Syerston as a strategically important source for future scandium supply,” he said.
“The mineral resource estimate has increased substantially as a result of the targeted drilling campaign, proving up additional zones of high-grade mineralisation supporting decades of future production.”
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