Axel REE Limited (ASX:AXL) has announced the appointment of Noeber Orsine as Operations Manager, Brazil, and confirmed the addition of Laura Rocha as Chemical Process Engineer, as the company advances development work at its Woolrich ionic-clay rare earth deposit within the Caladão REE–Gallium Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Key Points

  • Noeber Orsine appointed Operations Manager, Brazil, with more than 25 years' mining project development, delivery and operational leadership experience.
  • Mr Orsine previously served as General Manager – Project Delivery at Serra Verde, which was acquired by USA Rare Earth (Nasdaq: USAR) in 2026 for approximately US$2.8 billion.
  • Laura Rocha joins as Chemical Process Engineer with approximately 15 years' experience, including roles at Brazilian Rare Earths, Serra Verde and Aclara Resources.
  • José Sousa has transitioned from Operations Manager to Geology and Database Manager, reporting to Mr Orsine and retaining responsibility for drilling programmes and geological data integrity.

Noeber Orsine Appointment and Experience

Mr Orsine is a senior mining engineer and project executive with more than 25 years' experience across mining studies, project development, construction and operational readiness. At Serra Verde in Brazil, he served as General Manager – Project Delivery with responsibility for project delivery through commissioning and start-up at a large-scale ionic-clay rare earths operation. His background also includes serving as Study Manager on Latin Resources' Salinas lithium project in Minas Gerais, acquired by PLS Group (ASX:PLS) in 2025 for approximately $560 million, and as Senior Projects and Studies Manager at Ausenco. He has also held senior roles at Syrah Resources (ASX:SYR) and Alcoa Australia (ASX:AAI).

Laura Rocha's Role in Rare Earth Processing

Ms Rocha brings approximately 15 years of processing and engineering experience with particular expertise in rare earth projects. Her previous positions include Process and Engineering Manager at Brazilian Rare Earths (ASX:BRE), Senior Process Engineer at Aclara Resources (TSX:ARA), and process engineering and coordination roles with Serra Verde. She holds a chemical engineering degree and an MBA. Ms Rocha has been supporting Axel's metallurgical programme, including technical review and coordination of laboratory testwork to assess rare earth leaching and mixed rare earth carbonate product characteristics, with her expertise to support process optimisation and testwork interpretation.

Woolrich ISR Field Validation Programme Priorities

In his role, Mr Orsine will coordinate Brazil operations and external technical partners, with immediate priorities including hydrogeological investigations, detailed project planning and delivery preparations for the controlled Woolrich ISR field validation programme. Planned technical work includes continued magnesium sulphate leach optimisation and hydrogeological characterisation to inform wellfield design and assessment of solution migration, containment and recovery under field conditions. Woolrich is disclosed as Axel's priority deposit for assessing a controlled ISR field validation programme, with the Woolrich deposit comprising 154.51 million tonnes Inferred and 110.08 million tonnes Indicated at the Caladão Project.