Meteoric Resources, an Australian company, announced that it produced the first batch of mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) at its recently constructed Caldeira Rare Earth Project Pilot Plant, an experimental rare earth extraction unit, located in Poços de Caldas, southern Minas Gerais, this Wednesday (12/10). The inauguration of the Factory took place this Friday (12/12).
According to the company, the pilot plant tests the separation of rare earths using solvent extraction and other technologies.
The company highlighted unit processes commissioned in recent weeks, using “poor quality drill samples”, such as preparing the ore for inclusion in the circuit – including washing and sieving clays –, leaching with AMSUL and filtering spent clay solids to produce a stackable dry cake, among others.
“The pilot plant further validates and optimizes the flowchart and tests different ore types of the Caldeira Project. The data generated from the pilot campaigns will be incorporated into the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) of the Caldeira Project, currently being carried out by Ausenco,” the company informed.
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Executive director Stuart Gale said it was “excellent” to deliver the first batch of MRECs from Project Boiler.
“The team has done an excellent job in developing the pilot plant – from acquiring key equipment, recruiting operators, construction and commissioning. This places Meteoric in a small group of global companies with the capacity to produce MREC independently and consistently,” Gale said.
He added that the laboratory “enables continuous improvement of key project parameters and process optimization.”
“Combined with our expanding geological intellectual property, this pilot plant establishes a solid foundation for increasing the long-term value of the project,” Gale said.
Rare earths
According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MNE), Brazil has the second largest rare earth reserves in the world, accounting for 25% of their total.
Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements essential to many modern products, from smartphones and televisions to digital cameras and LEDs. Even if used in small quantities, they are irreplaceable.
The most important use of these substances is in the manufacture of permanent magnets. Powerful and durable, these magnets retain their magnetic properties for decades. With them it is possible to produce smaller and lighter parts, which is essential, for example, for wind turbines and electric vehicles.
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