IMC Rare Earths Advances Development of Brazil Rare Earth Project with Hatch and ANSTO
The planned laboratory batch will provide material for potential customer evaluation, not establish commercial product specifications or acceptance.
Sentiment and the balance of points
Rhea-AI Sentiment reads the wording of the document, how positive or negative its language is on a 1 to 5 scale. The balance of points shown with the takes weighs what the document actually discloses, so the two can disagree, for example when a trial that missed its main goal is described in upbeat language.
Rhea-AI Summary
IMC Rare Earths (NYSE American: IMC) is advancing its Itarantim project in Brazil through engineering and laboratory programs with Hatch and ANSTO. Hatch's scoping study, targeted for Q1 2027, will compare mining and recovery options, including preliminary capital and operating costs. ANSTO is testing three recovery methods across Blocks A, C and H.
IMC targets approximately one kilogram of mixed rare earth carbonate, a concentrated rare earth material, from Block H for demonstration and potential customer evaluation. Process development is scheduled for December 2026 and January 2027, subject to sample receipt, with batch production scheduled to start in March 2027. Final radioactive-element analysis requires additional time. The batch program is not a continuous pilot operation and does not establish commercial specifications or acceptance. IMC says its planned work program is fully funded.
Positive
- Minor pointPlanned work program is fully funded, including the engineering and metallurgical initiatives.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Hatch scoping study targets Q1 2027 completion to guide selection of a preferred development approach.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.ANSTO laboratory testing across Blocks A, C and H will compare vat, heap and in-situ recovery.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Approximately one kilogram of mixed rare earth carbonate is targeted from Block H for potential customer evaluation.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Batch production is scheduled to start in March 2027, following process development.
- Minor pointPreviously reported AD-00555 drilling intersected 7 meters from 2 meters depth grading 5,695 ppm total rare earth oxides.
Negative
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.December 2026–January 2027 process development is subject to sample receipt.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Additional heap-leaching testing on a selected sample depends on satisfactory initial results.
- Minor pointBatch testing is not a continuous pilot operation and does not establish commercial specifications or acceptance.
- Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Final radioactive-element analysis requires additional time beyond the scheduled batch work.
News Explained
ANSTO has been commissioned to process approximately 250 kg of dry Block H trench clay adjacent to drillhole AD-00555 into the planned approximately 1 kg dry MREC batch; previously reported drilling grades are not assays of that trench sample or the planned product.
Key Figures
- Hatch study completion target
- Q1 2027
- Scoping study of mining and recovery methods at Itarantim
- Recovery methods
- 3
- ANSTO testing across Blocks A, C and H
- Planned dry MREC production
- Approximately 1 kilogram
- Block H material for demonstration and potential customer evaluation
- Dry clay for batch processing
- Approximately 250 kilograms
- Planned processing to extract and concentrate rare earth elements into MREC
- Batch MREC production start
- March 2027
- Current schedule, subject to sample receipt and preceding process development
Historical Context
-
Reported Block H yttrium grades that the current release distinguishes from planned MREC product assays.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
in-situ recovery technical
mixed rare earth carbonate technical
radionuclide analysis technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Engineering and metallurgical programs will assess recovery methods and produce rare earth material for potential customer evaluation
Highlights:
- Hatch, a global engineering consultancy firm, is conducting a study targeted for completion in Q1 2027, to identify a preferred approach to mining and recovering rare earths at Itarantim.
- ANSTO, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, is evaluating three potential recovery methods across Blocks A, C and H to help determine the most effective approach to processing the project's rare earths.
- Block H program targets approximately one kilogram of mixed rare earth carbonate for demonstration and potential customer evaluation.
- IMC is advancing work to recover strategically important heavy rare earth elements, including dysprosium, terbium and yttrium, which are used in advanced technologies.
- IMC is fully funded to undertake its extensive planned work program, including these engineering and metallurgical initiatives.
SÃO PAULO,
"Our goal is to determine the most effective way to recover the strategically important heavy rare earth elements at Itarantim, particularly dysprosium, terbium and yttrium," said Frank Scolaro, Chief Executive Officer and Chair. "Working with two internationally respected technical partners, we are taking important steps toward identifying a preferred development approach and producing material for potential customer evaluation. With our planned work program fully funded, we are well positioned to advance these initiatives and deliver important technical milestones in the months ahead. I thank our Brazilian team and management for their continued dedication and hard work in advancing the project."
Hatch to Evaluate Mining and Recovery Options, with Study Targeted for Q1 2027
Hatch Ltd ("Hatch"), a globally recognized engineering and project delivery consultancy, has been appointed to conduct a scoping study to evaluate potential mining and recovery methods at Itarantim and help identify a preferred development pathway. The study will compare conventional shallow open-pit mining with vat or heap leaching against in-situ recovery ("ISR"), which enables rare earth extraction without excavating the clay.
The study will assess three selected recovery options, including their technical feasibility, potential production scale, development schedules and preliminary capital and operating cost estimates. The comparison will also consider potential production of mixed rare earth carbonate ("MREC") or oxide products, alongside environmental, social, groundwater, permitting and closure considerations.
Targeted for completion in Q1 2027, the Hatch scoping study represents a key milestone in advancing Itarantim's development strategy. Its findings are expected to help IMC select a preferred development pathway and establish priorities for the next phase of engineering and technical work.
ANSTO Metallurgical Program Advances Across Three Project Blocks
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation ("ANSTO"), an internationally recognized research organization with more than 50 years of experience in critical minerals processing, has been appointed to undertake laboratory-scale testing of clay samples from Blocks A, C and H, comparing three potential recovery methods: vat (or tank) leaching, heap leaching and ISR, alongside processes for removing impurities and producing MREC. The program includes:
- Vat (tank) leaching: laboratory testing using primarily magnesium sulfate to evaluate rare earth extraction, alongside assessments of filtration and material handling.
- Heap leaching: tests to assess how recovery solutions move through clay samples from all three blocks, with additional testing planned on a selected sample if initial results are satisfactory.
- ISR: tests to assess whether recovery solutions can flow effectively through the clay and extract rare earth elements without conventional excavation.
Together, these tests will help determine which recovery methods are best suited to the characteristics of Itarantim's rare earth deposits. ANSTO will deliver results and recommendations to guide the selection of a preferred processing approach and priorities for further testing and development.
IMC Targets Production of Rare Earth Material for Potential Customer Evaluation
ANSTO has also been commissioned to produce approximately one kilogram of dry MREC from Block H trench material, adjacent to drillhole AD-00555, for demonstration, marketing and potential customer evaluation. The program represents a step toward producing material that can be independently assessed for its composition and potential suitability for commercial applications.
Approximately 250 kilograms of dry clay will undergo batch laboratory processing to extract and concentrate rare earth elements into MREC, using methods established through earlier testing. Product analysis will include testing for radioactive elements and a certificate of analysis documenting the product's composition.
The work follows previously reported exploration results that identified concentrations of strategically important rare earth elements in Block H, including dysprosium, terbium and yttrium. Previously announced auger hole AD-00555 intersected 7 meters, from 2 meters depth, grading 5,695 ppm TREO, including 38 ppm terbium oxide (Tb4O7), 258 ppm dysprosium oxide (Dy2O3) and 2,052 ppm yttrium oxide (Y2O3). This included 3 meters from 4 meters depth at 7,841 ppm TREO, 52 ppm Tb4O7, 357 ppm Dy2O3 and 2,836 ppm Y2O3 (October 8 and October 29, 2026, news releases). These are previously reported drilling grades, not assays of the trench composite or the planned MREC product.
The current schedule calls for process development in December 2026 and January 2027, subject to sample receipt, followed by the start of batch MREC production in March 2027. Final radionuclide analysis requires additional time. This batch program is not a continuous pilot operation and does not establish commercial product specifications or acceptance.
About IMC Rare Earths Ltd
IMC Rare Earths Ltd is a mineral exploration and development company focused on the exploration, development and long-term supply of rare earth elements. Its principal project is the Itarantim Project, an ionic adsorption clay rare earth deposit in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Company is focused on strategically important rare earth elements, including dysprosium, terbium and yttrium, which have applications in advanced technologies and industrial manufacturing.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alexandre Rocha da Rocha, MSc, a Qualified Person as defined in Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K. Mr. da Rocha is a geologist with more than 40 years of mineral exploration experience in Brazil and internationally and is widely recognized as a pioneer of ionic adsorption clay rare earth exploration in Brazil. He played a central role in discoveries, including the Rocha da Rocha Province in Bahia, Serra Verde's Pela Ema deposit in Goiás and Aclara's Carina Project in Goiás. He holds a BSc in Geology (1986) and an MSc in Geosciences (1999) from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte and is a Tenured Professor of Geology at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN). Mr. da Rocha is a consultant to IMC Rare Earths and is not independent of the Company.
Cautionary Note on Exploration and Metallurgical Results
The Block H results referenced above are previously reported exploration results and are not assays of the planned MREC product. Laboratory and batch results do not establish commercial recovery, product acceptance or economic viability. Further testing, engineering and applicable approvals will be required.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking, including anticipated study and testwork outcomes, drilling, trial programs, sample production, schedules, development pathways and community activities, as applicable.
These statements reflect the Company's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These include geological and metallurgical variability; permeability and groundwater conditions; differences between laboratory, field and commercial performance; sample availability and representativeness; assay and contractor turnaround times; third-party performance; product quality and customer requirements; access to funding, infrastructure, equipment and personnel; environmental and other permitting requirements; community relationships; operational and weather-related disruptions; rare earth prices and demand; and the risks described in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Study schedules and production targets are estimates and may change as work progresses. No assurance can be given that a preferred recovery route will prove technically or economically viable. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Investor Relations Contact
IMC Rare Earths Ltd
Investor Relations
info@imcrareearths.com
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SOURCE IMC Rare Earths
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
When will IMC Rare Earths complete the Hatch study for Itarantim?
The Hatch scoping study is targeted for completion in Q1 2027. It will compare conventional shallow open-pit mining with vat or heap leaching against in-situ recovery, which extracts rare earths without excavating the clay.
How much rare earth material does IMC plan to produce for customer evaluation?
IMC targets approximately one kilogram of dry mixed rare earth carbonate from Block H for demonstration, marketing and potential customer evaluation. Batch production is scheduled to start in March 2027; the program does not establish commercial product specifications or acceptance.
What material will ANSTO process for IMC's Block H demonstration batch?
ANSTO will process approximately 250 kilograms of dry clay from Block H trench material adjacent to drillhole AD-00555, using methods established through earlier testing. The previously reported drilling grades are not assays of that trench composite or the planned carbonate product.
What will IMC's Hatch study assess beyond rare earth recovery methods?
The study will assess technical feasibility, potential production scale, development schedules and preliminary capital and operating costs. It will also consider production of mixed rare earth carbonate or oxide products, along with environmental, social, groundwater, permitting and closure considerations.