Meteoric Resources NL (ASX: MEI) (Meteoric or the Company) is pleased to announce the official opening of its Caldeira Rare Earth Project (Caldeira Project or Project) Pilot Plant.
The Pilot Plant is located at Meteoric's Innovation and Research Center in Pocos de Caldas and represents an important step in the development of future operations of the Caldeira Project in Caldas. The official opening ceremony was attended by: Ailton Goulart (Mayor of Caldas), Osorio Coelho (Director of Science and Technology Ministry), Gilberto Ribeiro Costa (Superintendent of INB), Edvan Lopes (Mayor of Santa Rita de Caldas), Ze Capituva (Mayor of Bandeira do Sul), Joao Vitor (CREA for MG), plus Managing Director Stuart Gale and Executive Director Marcelo do Carvalho. With an initial capacity to process 25kg of ionic clay per hour, the Pilot Plant brings together all the steps necessary to transform the Caldeira Project mineralised clays into Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC), including leaching, MREC precipitation and dewatering of clays. 'We were very pleased to bring together local and state stakeholders for the official opening of the Pilot Plant, an important milestone for both Meteoric and the critical materials chain in Brazil. We are entering a new phase of the Caldeira Project, with concrete data being generated that will support the Definitive Feasibility Study, provide bulk samples for our future commercial partners and enable testing of downstream separation processes in Brazil.' said Meteoric Managing Director Stuart Gale. Over the past few months, Meteoric has recruited and completed training for the team responsible for the operation of the Pilot Plant. The Pilot Plant forms a basis to study rare earth separation routes, such as solvent extraction and new technologies that can increase the capacity to add value to the product in Brazil.
The Pilot Plant investment of approximately A$1.5 million will facilitate production of 500 kilograms of MREC per year.
The data generated by the plant will be incorporated into the DFS, a decisive step for the implementation of the industrial plant.
Contact:
Stuart Gale
Email: sgale@meteoric.com.au
Tel: +61 8 6166 9112
Marcelo de Carvalho
Email: mdcarvalho@meteoric.com.au
Tel: +55 61 98613 0930
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