Basin Energy Ltd. and James Cook University have entered into a collaborative research agreement to advance processing and extraction techniques for Basin’s Sybella-Barkly rare earth project in northwest Queensland.
The partnership operates under the Australian government’s Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer program, a research initiative backed by federal funding to accelerate innovation across the domestic critical minerals sector.
The research campaign will focus on the characterisation and environmentally sustainable extraction of rare earth elements, with a specific emphasis on heavy rare earth elements recovered from Basin’s Sybella and Newmans mineralisation.
Researchers aim to develop tailored extraction methodologies and project-specific processing flowsheets to improve recovery efficiency.
Under the terms of the agreement, which runs through to June 1, 2029, Basin is not required to make any cash payments.
Instead, the company’s contribution involves providing university researchers with full access to project data, drill cores, assay pulps, and sample archives, while continuing to advance exploration at the site.
Intellectual property and technical data generated during the program will be owned by James Cook University, with Basin receiving a perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive worldwide licence to apply the discoveries across any of its mining or exploration assets.
Fieldwork has already commenced, with university researchers joining Basin’s exploration team on-site at the Newmans discovery to conduct initial sample characterisation.
“We are delighted to formalise this collaboration with James Cook University under the Trailblazer program,” said Basin Energy Managing Director Pete Moorhouse.
“It connects Basin with leading Australian research capability in rare earth characterisation and extraction, with a particular focus on the heavy rare earths that are so critical to advanced technologies.”
He added that developing project-specific processing knowledge for heavy rare earths will help build local expertise while directly supporting the commercial development of the Sybella-Barkly project.
