Victory Metals Unveils 26x Hafnium Grade Boost at North Stanmore

A Breakthrough in Hafnium Concentration

Victory Metals Limited (ASX – VTM) has announced a significant metallurgical breakthrough at its North Stanmore Heavy Rare Earth, Scandium, and Hafnium Project in Western Australia. The company achieved a 26-fold increase in Hafnium grade; from a mere 4 parts per million (ppm) to an impressive 108 ppm; using a straightforward gravity separation technique. This process concentrates 66% of the Hafnium into just 3.5% of the original ore mass, effectively rejecting 96.5% of the material early in the process. The implications for future processing are substantial, promising dramatically reduced capital and operating costs for any Hafnium extraction plant.

Strategic Importance of Hafnium

Hafnium is a rare and highly strategic metal, critical to advanced defence and nuclear technologies. It is essential in superalloys for jet engines, hypersonic missiles, and rocket nozzles, enabling these systems to withstand extreme heat and speeds. Its unmatched neutron absorption properties make it irreplaceable in nuclear reactor propulsion systems, such as those powering submarines and aircraft carriers. With global refined Hafnium supply limited to roughly 70–100 tonnes per annum and dominated by China and a few other countries, the metal’s scarcity and geopolitical sensitivity have driven prices to around US$11,000 per kilogram.

North Stanmore’s Resource and Market Potential

The North Stanmore project’s existing Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) contains approximately 1.55 million kilograms (1,550 tonnes) of Hafnium, potentially representing decades of meaningful supply in a market hungry for diversified and ethical sources. Victory Metals’ CEO Brendan Clark highlighted the geopolitical risks associated with current supply chains and the growing demand from defence, nuclear, aerospace, and emerging AI technologies. The company’s ability to recover Hafnium concurrently with its world-class heavy rare earth extraction flow sheet adds significant value to the project’s economics.

Robust Metallurgical and Resource Foundations

Victory Metals’ announcement follows extensive drilling and sampling campaigns, including 834 drill holes totaling over 45,000 metres, and rigorous metallurgical test work. The simple gravity separation process isolates Hafnium-rich minerals such as zircon and baddeleyite without the use of chemicals, underscoring a low-cost, environmentally friendly approach. The company also reported a 43-fold upgrade in Zirconium grade, another valuable by-product. Ongoing prefeasibility studies and environmental assessments are underway to further optimise processing and advance the project towards development.

Outlook and Strategic Implications

This development positions Victory Metals as a potential critical supplier of Hafnium, a metal increasingly viewed as vital to Western defence and technological superiority. The North Stanmore project’s scale, combined with its strategic metal portfolio, aligns well with global efforts to secure diversified supply chains away from dominant producers. Investors and industry watchers will be keenly awaiting further updates from Victory Metals’ prefeasibility study and any moves to engage with defence contractors and allied governments.