Critica hails Jupiter as top Aussie clay-hosted | Australian Markets

Having confirmed a high-grade zone of 640Mt at its Jupiter project close to Mt Magnet in WA at a grade of 490ppm magnet uncommon earth oxides, Critica Limited says its uncommon earths useful resource is now the highest-grade clay-hosted MREO useful resource within the nation.

The general Jupiter useful resource, outlined in February 2025, totals an eye-watering 1.8 billion tonnes averaging 1700 elements per million (ppm) complete uncommon earth oxides (TREO), calculated utilizing a 400ppm MREO cut-off.

The high grade endowment includes about 310,000 tonnes of in-situ MREOs, together with 66,000t of praseodymium, 230,000t of neodymium, 2300t of terbium and 11,000t of dysprosium – all key oxides of the uncommon earths components crucial for producing high-performance everlasting magnets.

These magnet uncommon earths, crucial for high-tech and clean power purposes, can drive up to 85 per cent of a uncommon earths project’s worth, regardless of their typically comparatively small part of the entire uncommon earths content material.

The company’s latest review marks a pivotal step in understanding the project’s potential to produce crucial minerals for electric automobiles (EVs), wind generators, medical gadgets, and defence systems.

The project, half of Critica’s broader Brothers project which spans 1500 sq. kilometres, advantages from its strategic location in a single of WA’s premier mining districts which incorporates entry to infrastructure such as the Mount Magnet-Geraldton freeway which hyperlinks it with the state’s coastal Port of Geraldton, 250 km away.

Drilling at Jupiter, initiated after its discovery in November 2023, has been in depth.

In 2023, Critica accomplished 4 aircore (AC) holes for 218m at Brothers, 29 AC holes for 1,808m, 25 reverse circulation (RC) holes for 1,794m, and 52 RC holes for 3,252m at Jupiter.

In 2024, drilling intensified with 246 AC holes for 14,376m, 262 AC holes for 15,396m, and seven diamond holes for 819.4m, bringing the entire drilling to more than 37,000m.

This is a turning level within the Jupiter story. The dimension of the useful resource has all the time been compelling, however this up to date evaluation confirms that Jupiter additionally has high quality, with important portions of neodymium, praseodymium, terbium and dysprosium. This makes Jupiter Australia’s largest and highest-grade clay-hosted uncommon earth deposit by each complete tonnage and contained MREOs.

Exploration of the project has outlined a 40 sq. kilometre mineralised zone with broad, constant intersections up to 80m thick at grades exceeding 1000 ppm TREO, with standout intercepts such as 74m at 1907 ppm and 16m at 4129 ppm TREO.

The Jupiter deposit hosts fine-grained uncommon earths minerals, consisting primarily of florencite, rhabdophane, and xenotime, which have been recognized by superior micro-analytical techniques.

These hydrated phosphates carry the extremely sought-after neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium components, complemented by their low content material of the in any other case probably deleterious ranges of uranium and thorium, enhancing the deposit’s environmental acceptability.

Critica is now advancing its metallurgical take a look at work to supply a blended uncommon earth carbonate (MREC), with pilot packages to validate beneficiation pathways succesful of reaching up to 95 per cent mass discount, with a focus grade lifted to about 15,000 ppm TREO.

A scoping research will then assess the project’s high-value MREO zones, and the company is partaking with offtake companions to secure ESG-aligned provide chains.

Critica has adopted an modern method to the project that prioritises environment friendly processing by upgrading high-value uncommon earths into a low-volume stream, decreasing the general environmental footprint and processing prices.

The company believes that strategy positions its Jupiter project for capital-efficient sustainable development whereas considerably assembly world demand for crucial minerals.

With its unmatched scale and high-grade MREO core, Jupiter may develop into a cornerstone of Australia’s uncommon earth provide chain, delivering long-term worth for clean power and high-tech industries.

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