• Rare earths at Grass Patch confirmed to be hosted in phosphate minerals
• Three distinct REE phosphate minerals identified
• Results support flotation as a potential beneficiation technique
• Phosphates sit within the shallow, free dig profile characteristic of the Grass Patch regolith

Mount Ridley Mines Limited has reported results from the first automated mineralogy (TIMA) study on material from the Grass Patch Complex, confirming that rare earth elements (REE) are hosted within discrete phosphate minerals, specifically xenotime, crandallite group phosphates, and monazite/rhabdophane. This discovery is pivotal for the company's beneficiation strategy and suggests that flotation could be used to concentrate rare earths before leaching, potentially reducing the volume of material processed. The phosphates are fine-grained and closely associated with clay, consistent with the shallow, weathered regolith profile of Grass Patch. Flotation testwork will now be progressed to assess achievable concentrate grades and recoveries.

Mount Ridley Mines is optimistic about the potential of flotation to concentrate rare earths and improve the efficiency of their extraction process. The company plans to integrate the outcomes of the flotation testwork with its ongoing metallurgical testwork program.