Business
USTDA-Funded Rare Earths Workstream Advances
Altona Rare Earths PLC has announced a significant advancement in its Monte Muambe rare earths project with the publication of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the USTDA-funded work program. This RFP invites qualified U.S. firms to undertake metallurgy and process engineering for a pre-feasibility study, including a drilling campaign, metallurgical testing, and associated environmental and commercial studies. The company also noted that the USTDA grant of US$1.875 million, announced on February 27, 2026, underscores the project's global significance and will support updated financial modelling and project valuation, alongside ongoing efforts to evaluate partnerships in the U.S. rare earths and gallium value chains. Disclaimer*
About this update from Altona Rare Earths Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n30 March 2026\n \n \nALTONA RARE EARTHS PLC\n(\"Altona\" or \"the Company\")\n \nUSTDA-Funded Rare Earths Workstream Advances with Publication of Request for Proposals\n \nAltona (LSE: REE), a resource exploration and development company focused on critical raw materials in Africa, is pleased to announce the publication of the Request For Proposals (\"RFP\") for the implementation of the Monte Muambe rare earths work program, funded by a grant from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (\"USTDA\").\n \nQualified U.S. firms are now invited to submit proposals to undertake the metallurgy and process engineering components of a pre-feasibility study for the development of the Company's rare earths mining and processing facility in the Moatize District of the Tete Province in northwest Mozambique.\n \nA Pivotal Milestone\n \nThe publication of this RFP represents a key step in activating the USTDA-supported work program and advancing the Monte Muambe rare earths project towards development.\n \nThe scope of work encompasses a comprehensive workstream designed to further de-risk key technical and commercial aspects of the project while strengthening engagement with participants across the U.S. rare earths value chain.\n \nThe scope of the funded work includes:\n \n· A targeted drilling campaign to obtain representative metallurgical samples\n· Comprehensive metallurgical testing and engineering studies covering comminution, beneficiation, and hydrometallurgy, including the separation of NdPr oxide from mixed rare earth carbonate\n· Associated environmental and commercial studies\n· Engagement with potential US off-take partners\n· The development of an updated financial model and project valuation\n \nWhy Does This Matter?\n \nThe signing of the grant agreement with USTDA announced on 27 February 2026 represents an important endorsement of Monte Muambe as a globally significant rare earths project.\n \nThe publication of this RFP now triggers the execution of the planned work, which will deliver multiple tangible outcomes and sustained news flow, while refining the project's technical and economic parameters and supporting a potential increase in project value through updated fi...