Victory Metals has signed a partnership with the Australian government-backed Resources Technology and Critical Trailblazer initiative, run by Curtin University, to accelerate the development of the company’s North Stanmore heavy rare earth elements (HREE) project.
Curtin will contribute specialist staff with expertise in water management, recycling and recovery, metallurgy and more as the project moves toward commercial production, supplying Australia with the material needed for clean energy technologies, advanced electronics and defence.
Head of Curtin’s Western Australian School of Mines, Professor Mark Butine said: “The partnership reflected Curtin’s leadership in critical minerals and advanced processing.
“Curtin is a national leader in minerals processing, hydrometallurgy and sustainable resource technologies, with advanced facilities and a strong track record of translating research into industry outcomes.
“We are proud to lead the technical development of this nationally significant project, bringing together our world-class expertise with Victory Metals’ exceptional North Stanmore rare earth resource.”
Curtin will work alongside Victory’s technical team to support the studies required to advance the North Stanmore project.
The parties will also co-develop a pilot plant at Victory’s facility in Burswood, Western Australia.
Victory’s North Stanmore project contains heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium, as well as by-products like scandium and gallium, exhibiting its strategic appeal amid global interest in diversifying rare earth supply chains away from China.
Victory announced a robust mineral resource estimate for North Stanmore, totalling 320.6 million tonnes, with the majority of the resource classified in the indicated category. The result positions North Stanmore as Australia’s largest indicated clay heavy rare earth resource.
WA Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael said: “This is the type of partnership that will help the state and Australia position itself as a leader in the production and processing of rare earth elements, which are so critical in industries such as wind turbines, electric vehicles, defence technologies and medical applications.”
