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Critical Metals Corp. announced the successful conclusion of continuous metallurgical pilot plant trials testing bulk composite ore samples from the Tanbreez rare earth elements deposit in southern Greenland. Metallurgical testing was performed at a specialized minerals research facility in Europe, processing a 20-tonne representative run-of-mine ore parcel. The dry magnetic separation circuit achieved an exceptional eudialyte mineral concentrate recovery exceeding 92 percent, rejecting over 85 percent of host feldspar and nepheline waste rock without requiring chemical reagents.
Downstream hydrometallurgical processing of the eudialyte concentrate demonstrated mild hydrochloric acid digestion kinetics at atmospheric pressure and moderate temperatures below 80 degrees Celsius, eliminating silica gel formation issues that historically challenged eudialyte processing. Solvent extraction (SX) separation circuits continuously separated high-purity heavy rare earth fractions, specifically dysprosium oxide (Dy2O3) and terbium oxide (Tb4O7) with purities surpassing 99.9 percent, alongside commercially marketable zirconium oxide and tantalum-niobium precipitates.
The engineering data derived from the pilot run provides verified mass-energy balances and environmental effluent metrics required to finalize front-end engineering design (FEED) for the planned full-scale commercial processing facility. The company noted that the absence of radioactive thorium and uranium in the mineral concentrate allows Tanbreez product to be shipped across international shipping lanes under standard bulk cargo handling classifications, precluding hazardous material transport restrictions.
Executive management stated that successfully proving clean, reagent-efficient mineral separation and downstream heavy rare earth refining provides allied Western manufacturers with a viable alternative to single-source monopolistic supply chains. Permanent magnet motors utilized in advanced aerospace platforms, deep-sea submarine drives, and offshore wind turbines require dependable access to dysprosium and terbium. Critical Metals Corp confirmed that commercial engineering packages are being distributed to participating defense procurement agencies and multinational manufacturing consortiums.
Critical Metals Corp stated that the successful pilot processing program establishes a direct flow sheet for separating heavy rare earth elements, gallium, and zirconium from eudialyte mineral concentrates. By demonstrating high magnetic separation efficiency and continuous flow stability, the engineering group validates critical metallurgical assumptions underpinning the upcoming feasibility study. The Tanbreez deposit contains extensive multi-element mineralization with uniquely low radioactive thorium and uranium levels, presenting clear operational and environmental advantages across western industrial supply chains.