BRE Commissions Pilot Plant and Secures Stage II Co-Funding
Brazilian Rare EARTHS Ltd
Key points
- Stage I pilot plant successfully commissioned
- Stage II hydrometallurgical plant co-funding secured
- Leading development partnership with SENAI CIMATEC
- Specialist separation support from Carester
- Strategic co-product value potential
Full summary
Brazilian Rare EARTHS Ltd (ASX: BRE) has successfully commissioned its Stage I metallurgical pilot plant at Camaçari, Bahia, marking a significant milestone in its pre-feasibility study (PFS). The pilot plant has produced its first rare earth mineral concentrate, demonstrating the operation of the full Stage I beneficiation circuit. BRE has also secured additional partner co-funding to progress the Stage II hydrometallurgical pilot plant, with SENAI CIMATEC and its partners contributing R$6.4 million (approximately A$1.7 million), covering about 59% of Stage II's expected capital and operating costs. The Stage II pilot plant will extend the metallurgical program through hydrometallurgical extraction and separation to produce NdPr oxide, heavy rare earth HRE+ concentrate, and uranium yellowcake. Carester, the French rare earth separation specialist, will lead the separation workstream across the program and support engineering, design, and commissioning for BRE's planned Camaçari refinery. The advanced metallurgical pilot plant will support new skilled technical jobs and domestic rare earth and critical mineral processing capabilities in Bahia, Brazil.