Latest Pilot Plants News

Victory Metals has secured a 2,006-hectare mining lease for its North Stanmore heavy rare earths project in Western Australia. The grant removes a key tenure hurdle, but technical studies, approvals, offtake agreements and financing still stand between the project and a development decision.

Australian Rare Earths has moved its Koppamurra pilot plant beyond heap leaching, recovering rare earths from about 5,000 litres of leach solution into a Mixed Rare Earth Hydroxide intermediate product. The result provides an early test of the downstream flowsheet, although commercial economics and final product quality remain unproven.

Brazilian Rare Earths has commissioned its Stage I beneficiation pilot plant in Bahia and produced its first rare earth mineral concentrate. Partners will contribute R$6.4 million, or about A$1.7 million, towards the next hydrometallurgical stage planned for commissioning in Q2 2027.

Impact Minerals’ 50%-owned Alluminous project reveals a strong financial case for a staged US high purity alumina plant, projecting a post-tax NPV₈ of A$518 million and a 42.3% IRR under a modular development approach.

Tungsten Mining NL’s Pre-Feasibility Study confirms Mt Mulgine as a world-scale tungsten project, targeting first production in mid-2029 with robust economics and low operating costs.

Andromeda Metals has secured $3.04 million through a Share Purchase Plan and placement, aiming to advance its High Purity Alumina project and complete a Pre-feasibility study.

Zinc of Ireland’s ARGO hydrometallurgical process achieves near-complete recovery of silver, lead, and copper from zinc leach residues, fast-tracking pilot plant plans for early 2027.

St George Mining has launched a pilot plant beneficiation study at its Araxá Project in Brazil, aiming to refine niobium and rare earth recovery ahead of commissioning its own processing facility in early 2027.

ABx Group has kicked off a targeted rare earth drilling campaign in northern Tasmania, deploying a proprietary rapid testing technique to accelerate exploration and refine resource understanding.

Anson Resources has lodged two US patent applications for a novel chemical-free technology that removes iron from lithium-rich brines, potentially cutting costs and environmental impact in its Direct Lithium Extraction process.

Elevate Uranium’s pilot plant for its U-pgrade™ beneficiation process has demonstrated an 88% mass rejection and uranium grade uplift from 89 ppm to 590 ppm at Marenica, validating historic bench-scale results and paving the way for a simpler acid leach process.

St George Mining has formally begun environmental permitting for its Araxá Project in Brazil, submitting key assessments to Minas Gerais regulators as it moves toward developing a rare earths and niobium mine.