Victory Metals Unveils Australia’s Purest Heavy Rare Earth Oxide
Victory Metals has produced a 94% total rare earth oxide product enriched in heavy rare earths from its North Stanmore project, marking a first for Australian clay-hosted deposits and setting a new industry benchmark.
- 94% total rare earth oxide (TREO) MREO produced
- Highest grade heavy rare earth enriched MREO from Australian clay deposit
- Proprietary hydrometallurgical process eliminates costly concentration and cracking
- Product free from deleterious elements and low in radioactive contaminants
- Expected to boost global offtake interest amid tightening rare earth supply
A Breakthrough in Australian Rare Earths
Victory Metals Ltd (ASX, VTM) has announced a significant technical and commercial milestone with the successful production of a Mixed Rare Earth Oxide (MREO) containing 94% Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO) from its flagship North Stanmore Heavy Rare Earth Project in Western Australia. This achievement represents the highest grade heavy rare earth enriched MREO produced directly from an Australian clay-hosted rare earth deposit, a first for the sector.
The breakthrough validates Victory’s proprietary hydrometallurgical processing flowsheet, which notably bypasses the need for additional capital-intensive concentration and cracking stages. This streamlined approach not only reduces upfront capital expenditure but also lessens environmental impact, positioning Victory as a leader in sustainable rare earth extraction.
Technical Excellence and Strategic Implications
The MREO product, derived from a large composite sample of 453 drill samples averaging 525 ppm TREO, is enriched in heavy rare earth oxides such as dysprosium and terbium. These elements are critical for high-performance permanent magnets and defence alloys, making the product highly attractive to downstream processors, especially those seeking secure, non-Chinese supply chains.
Victory’s CEO Brendan Clark highlighted the significance of this milestone, emphasizing that the uniform grade distribution across the deposit confirms the scalability of their process. The advanced stage of the product, ready for separation and metallisation, is expected to generate increased global offtake interest, reinforcing Victory’s strategic potential to reshape ethical rare earth supply chains.
Ongoing Development and Future Prospects
Further metallurgical work is underway to optimize recovery of additional valuable elements such as scandium and hafnium from zirconium-bearing residues. This ongoing research aims to enhance the overall value proposition of the North Stanmore project.
Victory’s approach, combining technical innovation with strategic market positioning, comes at a time when global demand for rare earths is intensifying amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities. The company’s ability to produce a high-purity, heavy rare earth enriched MREO without extensive processing steps could offer a competitive edge in securing partnerships and offtake agreements.
Bottom Line?
Victory Metals’ breakthrough sets the stage for Australia to become a key player in the global heavy rare earth market.
Questions in the middle?
- How soon will Victory Metals secure binding offtake agreements with global processors?
- What are the timelines and costs associated with scaling up production using the proprietary process?
- How will ongoing metallurgical work on scandium and hafnium recovery impact project economics?
