Hastings to Construct Hydrometallurgical Plant for Rare Earths in Australia

Hastings has received approval to construct a hydrometallurgical plant in Australia to process rare earths oxide concentrate into mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC), containing high levels of neodymium (above) and praseodymium concentrate.

Perth, Australia-based rare earth company Hastings Technology Metals Ltd announced that the Australian Federal Government's Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment (DAWE) has completed environmental approvals for the construction of the wet metallurgical plant Onslow Rare Earths Plant, which will be located in the Ashburton North Strategic Industrial Area (ANSIA), near the coastal town of Onslow.

The Onslow Rare Earth Plant will process rare earth oxide concentrates from the Yangibana Rare Earth Project in Hasting, Gascoigne, Western Australia, by wet metallurgy to make mixed rare earth carbonates (MREC) containing high levels of neodymium and praseodymium concentrates (NdPr). NdPr is critical in the manufacture of permanent magnets needed for advanced technology products, from electric vehicles to wind turbines, robotics, medical and digital devices.

Charles Lew, Executive Chairman of Hastings Technology Metals, said: "This is an important milestone for our Yangibana rare earth project and further supports Hastings' decision last year to decouple the processing plant from the Yangibana mine. The Commonwealth environmental approval will enable Hastings to construct the Onslow rare earth plant to reach full production rates of 15,000 tonnes per annum of MREC, thereby releasing the high quality and NdPr rich rare earth carbonates we will produce at Yangibana."

"Importantly, the federal government's approval is another positive step towards Hastings becoming Australia's next rare earth producer," he continued. "Debt financing negotiations are well advanced and are scheduled to close by the end of this year, with early civil works at the Yangibana mine underway."

Construction of the hydrometallurgical plant is scheduled to begin in 2022 after the completion of early work on the Yangibana mine, in line with Hastings' goal of producing its first MREC in early 2024.

Rare earths are critical in the manufacture of a wide range of new consumer and industrial technologies. These range from flat screen TVs and energy efficient light bulbs to hybrid cars, wind turbines and military hardware. Hastings is an ASX listed exploration and development company currently focused on its two rare earth projects in Western Australia.

Hastings Technology Metals Ltd vision is to be a leading Australian rare earths company and a significant producer of Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr) supplying the growing demand for technology metals, specifically the permanent magnets market.

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