Critica poised to produce first rare earths

Critica has taken a key step in advancing its Jupiter rare earths project in Western Australia, dispatching its first upgraded composite concentrate for independent hydrometallurgical testing.

The concentrate has been sent to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in Sydney, where it will undergo leach testing to produce a mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC). In parallel, specialist consultancy Minutech will run complementary test programs to benchmark processing routes.

According to Critica, these dual workstreams will generate critical data to shape pilot-scale work and upcoming feasibility studies.

Jupiter’s mineralisation can be upgraded by more than 800 per cent through two simple beneficiation steps, rejecting about 95 per cent of the mass.

The composite concentrate sent to ANSTO represents this post-upgrade material, which assays at between 10,000 and 20,000 parts per million (ppm) of total rare earth oxides (TREO).

“Jupiter already demonstrates a clear scale advantage over peer deposits, and with beneficiation delivering an 800 per cent upgrade and 95 per cent mass reduction through simple physical processes, this points to a materially smaller wet plant and lower capital and operating intensity,” Critica managing director and chief executive officer Jacob Deysel said.

“ANSTO’s independent leach program, alongside Minutech’s, will define the most effective chemistry to produce Jupiter MREC and directly inform our pilot work and staged studies.

“With scale confirmed and a focus on the four magnet REOs (Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb), Jupiter is being advanced with clear line-of-sight from resource to revenue.”

The company highlighted that Jupiter hosts Australia’s largest and highest-grade clay-hosted magnet rare earth resource, with an inferred inventory of 640 million tonnes at 490ppm mixed rare earth oxide. Importantly, the deposit contains low levels of uranium and thorium, a factor expected to streamline permitting and international offtake.

“Critica is sharply focused on the four critical magnet rare earths, Nd, Pr, Dy and Tb, which underpin the global energy transition,” Deysel said. “From mine to magnet, our staged plan is designed to deliver scale, efficiency and strategic relevance.”