Rare Earth Elements (REE)

Accelerating Development of Australia’s Rare Earth Resources

Tranche 2: 2024-2026

Project name	Lead agency	Aim
REE Mineral Potential Assessment	ANSTO, supported by GA and CSIRO	Accelerate discovery, extraction and processing of REE in developing Australian lower grade deposits

ANSTO is leading this project which involves all three science agencies.  While Australia’s rich endowment of high grade REE and processing techniques are understood, greater knowledge of the mineralogy and processing routes is needed to unlock the potential of lower grade deposits, particularly in clay-hosted REE and ionic adsorption deposits. This project will  accelerate the discovery, extraction and processing of REE from these deposits by: assessing Australia’s mineral potential for lower grade REE deposits; developing and testing process options specific to Australia’s clay-hosted rare earth and ionic absorption deposits; demonstrating how these deposits can be used in existing REE separation technologies; establishing a dedicated testing facility; and enhancing the environmental outcomes of critical minerals mining and processing.

Resources

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