OD6 Metals has announced a breakthrough in its capacity to produce mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) and mixed rare earth hydroxide (MREH) from its Splinter Rock project.
The company said its product quality meets or exceeds global MREC and MREH benchmarks, positioning it for premium payability and a competitive advantage in future offtake agreements.
MREC grades amounted to about 56 per cent of total rare earth oxides (TREO), while MREH grades amounted to about 59 per cent of TREO. Both grades were produced via a simplified and scalable heap leach and impurity removal process flowsheet.
OD6 managing director Brett Hazelden said the significant milestone reinforced Splinter Rock’s potential to become a competitive and scalable producer of high value rare earth products.
“Our innovative processing pathway – using a combination of nanofiltration, ion exchange and impurity control – has enabled us to produce a high quality, low-impurity MREC and MREH product that meets or exceeds global benchmarks,” Hazelden said.
“This opens the door to a wide range of potential offtake partners and is expected to result in favourable payability. We believe the ability to deliver a high-quality, magnet-rich rare earth product from a low-cost leaching system gives us a unique strategic advantage. We look forward to engaging with international separation facilities, end users and governments.”
Hazelden said strategic partnerships with Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and CPC Engineering are driving an optioneering study to select the optimal development pathway.
The company is engaging with potential offtake partners to assess commercial options, while expanding its network of potential high-value downstream customers across North America, Europe and Asia.
OD6 views the production of its MREC and MREH products as crucial for high-tech applications in defence, electronics, and renewable energy due to their unique magnetic and electronic properties.
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