Critica Limited (ASX: CRI), an ASX-listed company focused on developing the Jupiter Project in Western Australia, a significant clay-hosted rare earth resource, has announced the successful production of its first high-grade Mixed Rare Earth Product (MREP) from the Jupiter Deposit. The MREP assayed an impressive 84% Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO), marking a major milestone for the company and further de-risking its flowsheet. This achievement signals Critica’s transition from explorer to developer.
The metallurgical results demonstrate that the beneficiated Jupiter concentrate can be leached using conventional, scalable hydrometallurgy, yielding a high-purity oxide product. The company reported a 78% recovery to Mixed Rare Earth Oxide (MREO), confirming high leach extraction. Impurities, including uranium and thorium, were well below transport and handling thresholds. A ~3,000 kg closed-circuit pilot plant at GAVAQ in Hanoi is now in the commissioning phase. Beneficiation test work continues to deliver approximately 95% mass rejection and a 6–10x grade uplift, supporting a simple, capital-efficient flowsheet.
Critica’s CEO, Jacob Deysel, stated that the first unoptimised Mixed Rare Earth Product is a pivotal step for the company. He highlighted that the metallurgical results confirm that the beneficiated Jupiter concentrate can be successfully leached using conventional, scalable processing to produce a high-grade oxide product. Deysel added that with beneficiation proven, MREP achieved, and pilot commissioning underway, the company is moving decisively from explorer to developer.
The Magnet Rare Earth Oxide (Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb) component represented approximately 23% of the total REO content, reinforcing Jupiter’s strong magnet-REE bias. Parallel hydrometallurgical programs at ANSTO and Minutech – AMML are exploring alternative leach routes to further optimise MREP chemistry. The company is now focused on optimisation, product specification, and engagement with prospective offtake and strategic partners.
