How Brazilian Critical Minerals Is Unlocking High-Grade Rare Earths at Ema

Sustained High-Grade Rare Earth Recovery

Brazilian Critical Minerals Ltd (ASX – BCM) has delivered another strong update from its ongoing in-situ recovery (ISR) pilot trials at the Ema Project in Brazil. The company reported pregnant leach solution (PLS) grades exceeding 5,700 parts per million total rare earth oxides (TREO), confirming the exceptional extraction potential first announced earlier this year. These results come from a second pilot trial area, reinforcing the robustness and repeatability of BCM’s ISR approach.

The high-grade PLS contains a significant proportion of magnet rare earth oxides (MREO); including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium; which accounted for up to 41% of TREO in the best-performing hole (H2-F12). These elements are critical for clean energy technologies and defense applications, underscoring the strategic value of the Ema Project in global critical mineral supply chains.

Technical Validation and Process Advancement

The ISR method involves injecting a benign magnesium sulphate solution into the mineralised clay horizon to leach rare earths directly in place, avoiding traditional mining. BCM has now extracted over 3,000 litres of PLS since late May, with consistent high flow rates and stable permeability confirming the process’s effectiveness. The company has dispatched PLS samples to Australia’s nuclear science agency ANSTO for further process optimisation and mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) product testing, a key step towards commercialisation.

Importantly, heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium remain present at meaningful concentrations, with samarium levels reaching 5% in some samples. These heavy rare earths are essential for high-performance permanent magnets used in advanced technologies requiring heat and corrosion resistance.

Project Development on Track

Alongside the ISR trials, BCM continues to advance feasibility studies, environmental permitting, and hydrogeological modelling. The company’s extensive drilling program has upgraded a significant portion of the resource to the indicated category, underpinning a robust mineral resource estimate of 943 million tonnes at 716 ppm TREO. Metallurgical recoveries average 68% for magnet rare earth oxides, among the highest globally for ionic clay deposits.

Managing Director Andrew Reid highlighted the significance of these results, noting the repeatability of high-grade leaching and the strategic importance of magnet rare earths for emerging technologies. He emphasized that the ISR process uses a low concentration, non-toxic solution, which de-risks the project environmentally and operationally.

Looking Ahead

While the pilot trials demonstrate promising technical progress, BCM has yet to detail commercial scale-up plans or timelines. The next phases will focus on optimising extraction and processing workflows, securing environmental approvals, and advancing towards production readiness. The dispatch of PLS to ANSTO for product testing is a critical milestone that will inform downstream processing strategies.