ABx Group Ltd. has achieved a milestone by producing a mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) sample with very high dysprosium and terbium content from its Deep Leads project.
Developed with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), the MREC contains 4 per cent dysprosium (Dy) and 0.7 per cent terbium (Tb) as a percentage of total rare earth oxides, more than twice that of any other peer MREC.
The MREC also contains the highest amounts of other valuable heavy rare earths and very low impurities.
ABx CEO Mark Cooksey said the MREC product will likely be sought after by customers seeking high DyTb.
“This is one of the most significant achievements of our rare earths project and we are simply delighted with this result, especially since it is our first MREC product and there is significant scope for optimisation.
“We’ve been eagerly anticipating confirmation of this MREC product, which is simply the best we know of from any ionic rare earth resource outside of China.”
The production of a high-purity MREC is a major milestone for ABx as it represents a saleable product used in downstream refining to produce materials essential for electric vehicle motors, wind turbines and robots.
MRECs with high proportions of Dy and Tb are in particular high demand because these elements have the most acute supply risk.
The high proportions of high value rare earths in the ABx MREC mean that it would command a 17 per cent to 51 per cent higher basket price compared to other MRECs. In addition, existing and prospective rare earth refineries are seeking high quality MRECs produced at low cost.
ABx will now share samples of the MREC product with prospective customers and offtake partners for evaluation. ABx expects discussions and negotiations to deepen because of these results.
For the next stage of project development, ANSTO is conducting column leach tests on a bulk sample from the Deep Leads deposits, with results expected in December.