Bayan Mining and Minerals (ASX:BMM) has announced the final results of its Phase 1 Research Program at The University of Queensland, recording a peak 11.2 times yttrium purity upgrade using its exclusively licensed and patented Yttrium Upgrade Technology from the Colorado School of Mines.

Key Points

  • Nine ion exchange column runs completed by UQ's Hydrometallurgy Research Group, led by Professor James Vaughan, under the Phase 1 Research Program.
  • Peak 11.2x yttrium purity upgrade achieved via selective exclusion during loading, with a 2.0x upgrade delivered via selective stripping with weak acid from a dilute heavy rare earth solution.
  • The technology has proven effective on both clay-hosted and Mountain Pass bastnaesite mineralisation styles, and on two commercially available resins.
  • Phase 2 planning includes testing commercially relevant feed solutions, multi-cycle resin performance, and establishing a process flowsheet, mass balance, and operating cost model ahead of pilot-scale cyclic testing.

Phase 1 Research Program Results and Methodology

UQ's Hydrometallurgy Research Group completed nine ion exchange column runs under the Phase 1 Research Program. Runs 1 to 5 used a solution derived from a mixed rare earth hydroxide produced from Mary Kathleen tailings, doped with rare earth elements representative of an Australian clay-hosted rare earth deposit. Run 6 used a dilute synthetic solution rich in mid and heavy rare earths. Runs 7 to 9 used a synthetic high samarium solution replicating the feed described in the Colorado School of Mines patent. The program confirmed the yttrium separation mechanism operates in both concentrated and dilute feed systems across two commercially available resins.

Technical Milestone and Separation Routes Identified

The completion of Phase 1 established that the Yttrium Upgrade Technology can upgrade yttrium solution purity through two distinct routes. Selective exclusion during loading delivered up to an 11.2 times purity upgrade from typical heavy rare earth solutions. Selective stripping with weak acid delivered a 2.0 times purity upgrade from a dilute heavy rare earth solution. The filing states these results significantly exceed earlier test work, which had previously recorded a more than 2 times yttrium purity increase. The technology has now been confirmed effective across both clay-hosted and bastnaesite mineralisation styles, broadening the range of rare earth projects to which it can be applied.

Phase 2 Planning and Yttrium Market Context

The company disclosed plans for Phase 2, which will involve testing commercially relevant feed solutions and multi-cycle resin performance to establish a specific process flowsheet with a complete mass balance and operating cost model, ahead of pilot-scale cyclic testing. The filing also noted that China introduced export controls on yttrium in April 2025 and that, as of October 2026, yttrium oxide was reportedly trading at approximately US$765 per kilogram outside China. Yttrium is used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, heat-resistant coatings for jet engines and gas turbines, advanced ceramics, lasers, and specialised electronic applications.