How Will Nanum’s Nanotech Boost Araxá’s Rare Earth Value?

Strategic Alliance to Unlock Rare Earths Potential

St George Mining Limited (ASX:SGQ) has announced a significant step forward in developing its Araxá rare earths project in Brazil through a new strategic alliance with Nanum Nanotecnologia, a leading Brazilian nanotechnology company. This collaboration aims to leverage Nanum’s advanced nano materials processing expertise to enhance the downstream processing of rare earth elements extracted from Araxá, with a particular focus on separating cerium and lanthanum from the rare earth oxide mix.

The Araxá Project is notable for its scale and grade, boasting a resource of approximately 71 million tonnes at 4.06% total rare earth oxides (TREO), making it the largest and highest-grade carbonatite-hosted rare earth deposit in South America. While the project’s primary value driver remains the recovery of high-value magnet rare earths such as neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) and heavy rare earth oxides (HREO), cerium and lanthanum together constitute nearly three-quarters of the TREO content. These elements are lower in value but have diverse industrial applications.

Innovative Processing to Enhance Product Quality

St George is developing proprietary metallurgical technology aimed at separating cerium and lanthanum from the rare earth oxalate produced from Araxá’s mineralisation. This separation is expected to significantly upgrade the concentration of NdPr and HREO in the final rare earth product; potentially tripling their content; thereby increasing its commercial value. The separated cerium can then be processed into a commercially saleable product, opening a new revenue stream.

Nanum’s role in this alliance is pivotal. The company’s cutting-edge nano materials technology is well suited to processing cerium into high-purity products. Together, the two companies will conduct metallurgical testwork and optimise processing flowsheets, aiming to maximise recoveries and develop a viable commercial cerium product. This collaboration also includes exploring marketing strategies and potential long-term offtake agreements for cerium.

Government Support and Project Momentum

The Araxá Project benefits from strong government backing, including expedited permitting through cooperation with the State of Minas Gerais and participation in Brazil’s MagBras initiative, which seeks to establish an integrated rare earth supply chain within the country. This support, combined with a recent major resource upgrade announced in early March 2026, positions Araxá as a compelling rare earth development opportunity.

Executive Chairman John Prineas highlighted the strategic importance of monetising the cerium component alongside the high-value magnet and heavy rare earths. He emphasised Nanum’s leadership in nanotechnology and Brazil’s growing role in innovative materials processing, underscoring the alliance’s potential to enhance the Araxá Project’s development prospects.

As metallurgical testwork progresses and commercialisation pathways are explored, this partnership could set a precedent for integrating advanced nanotechnology into rare earth processing, potentially reshaping the value proposition of rare earth projects in the region.