Key Highlights

  • The Koppamurra pilot plant at ANSTO completed commissioning on 31 July 2026 and produced its first Mixed Rare Earth Hydroxide.
  • Continuous pilot processing of about 30 tonnes of Koppamurra ore is underway.
  • A Mining Lease Application is being prepared for submission by the end of 2026.
  • The Overland carbonatite discovery was extended about 5 kilometres south, with a 130 metre intersection.

Australian Rare Earths Limited (ASX:AR3) released its quarterly activities report for the three months ending 30 September 2026 on 30 October 2026. The report focuses on the Koppamurra pilot processing campaign at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation facility in Sydney. It also covers exploration results from the Overland project, where the company continues to test extensions of its known mineralisation.

Koppamurra Pilot Plant Progress

Commissioning of the clay-hosted rare earth pilot processing plant was completed on 31 July 2026. Australian Rare Earths is described as the first industry partner to use the purpose-built facility at ANSTO's critical minerals site in Sydney.

The first of four heap leach column cycles, comprising about 8 tonnes of ore, was completed. The cycle generated about 5,000 litres of pregnant leach solution at target leaching recovery rates. That solution was then processed through the continuous precipitation circuit to produce the first Mixed Rare Earth Hydroxide.

The company describes this step as the transition from rare earth extraction to a concentrated intermediate product, which is a distinct stage in the processing sequence.

Next Steps for the Pilot Campaign and Approvals

The Mixed Rare Earth Hydroxide will be refined into Mixed Rare Earth Oxide samples for customer qualification. The company said the pilot campaign is producing the engineering and operating data needed for a Definitive Feasibility Study, which is scheduled to begin in early 2027.

Preparation of the Mining Lease Application continues, with submission targeted for the end of 2026. The timing of the application is tied to the completion of the technical work now under way.

Overland Exploration Update

Exploration at the Overland project extended a carbonatite discovery about 5 kilometres to the south. A 130 metre intersection was reported as part of the program, adding to the company's understanding of the mineralised system in the area.

The report presents the Overland results as an extension of earlier work rather than as a separate development, so the exploration program continues to run alongside the pilot campaign.

The stages described in the report follow a defined processing sequence, from ore leaching through precipitation to oxide refinement. The company says each completed step produces data that will feed into the study design. The report does not give timing for when customer qualification samples will be ready, so that milestone remains open.

Final Word

Australian Rare Earths' September quarter shows the Koppamurra pilot plant moving from extraction into the production of a concentrated intermediate product. The company's next milestones include the Mining Lease Application, the Definitive Feasibility Study and customer qualification samples. Future quarterly reports will indicate how the pilot data and approvals timetable develop.