Who’s leading the race to join Lynas as Australia’s next supplier of rare earths?
Arafura’s 100%-owned Nolans neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) project near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory is regarded as one of the most advanced rare earth projects owned by an ASX-listed entity.
Arafura has completed a feasibility study on Nolans which included extensive flow sheet pilot testing; received Territory and federal environmental approvals; reached an agreement over Native Title with the traditional owners; and has been granted mining tenure by the NT government.
In July, the federal government also renewed Major Project Status for Nolans.
The project is essentially “shovel-ready” but for the small matters of lining up offtake partners and securing approximately $1 billion in funding, processes that tend to go hand-in-hand and are being worked through currently.
On the funding front, the company says discussions are progressing constructively with Export Finance Australia (EFA) and the Northern Australian Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), and has been encouraged by the recent importance placed on critical minerals processing and advanced manufacturing by the federal government.
The company has also stepped up its engagement with potential offtakers and financiers in Europe and elsewhere outside China.
An agreement with EFA, NAIF or both would potentially serve as an endorsement for other funders, including foreign export credit agencies (ECAs), to back the project.
Further strength in the price of NdPr oxide – which has been rising in recent months following escalating geopolitical tensions, firming pricing policy from China and market imbalance – will also benefit Arafura in financing the project.
There’s no issue with mine life around Nolans, with the project’s mining inventory supporting 39 years of production following an ore reserves upgrade delivered in March this year.
Based on average forecast annual production of 4,325 tonnes of NdPr oxide, Nolans could supply 5-10% of global demand from rare earth permanent magnet manufacturers.
Sind aber im Prinzip schon längst bekannte Infos.
Wenn bloß nur endlich"befreiende" News kommen würden...
Sage wir so ... Arafura rührt nicht eben großartig die Werbetrommel...und der Ausstoß an News...na ja..
Mal sehen.
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