Everest Metals Corporation has secured $150,000 in funding from the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) to advance rubidium extraction at its Mt Edon Critical Minerals Project in Western Australia.
The funding, awarded under MRIWA’s Mining, Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) Innovation Programme, is designed to help transition research-led initiatives into practical, commercial solutions that improve mining efficiency and competitiveness.
Everest Metals lodged its funding application in March under MRIWA Project M10623, aiming to move from laboratory experimentation to full-scale commercial pilot operations.
The project’s central objective is to “produce 1kg of rubidium chloride per week with a purity of 95 per cent or higher”, demonstrating its potential for scalable production.
Research efforts will also focus on refining and optimising the extraction process.
The 12‑month programme, scheduled to commence this month, will be delivered in collaboration with Edith Cowan University’s Mineral Recovery Research Centre, and is expected to provide a clear pathway towards commercial deployment.
Everest Metals executive chairman and CEO Mark Caruso welcomed the state government’s backing: “We are grateful to the Western Australian government for supporting and endorsing the development of what will be an Australian first for the rubidium industry and are excited to continue these programmes in collaboration with Edith Cowan University, our research partner.
“Our focus will be to continue the development of both technological and commercial advancements, relating to efficient extraction and refining techniques, resulting in a potential saleable rubidium product.”
Rubidium is classified as a critical raw material, with applications spanning defence, aerospace, communications, and medicine.
Emerging research has also highlighted its potential role in hydrogen battery chemical storage, further underscoring the strategic value of the mineral.
The Mt Edon project, located five kilometres south-west of Paynes Find and around 420 kilometres north-east of Perth, hosts an initial inferred mineral resource of 3.6 million tonnes grading 0.22 per cent rubidium oxide, equivalent to more than 7,900 tonnes of contained rubidium oxide.
In a further step earlier this year, Everest Metals joined the US Defence Industrial Base Consortium as part of its strategy to commercialise rubidium production and strengthen supply security for critical minerals.
