Highlights

  • Best-hole leachable TREO of 1,062 ppm returned from EMA-TR-544 over 8.5 metres.
  • Combined dysprosium and terbium oxides account for 2–6% of leachable TREO in basal samples, representing a valuable heavy rare earth presence.
  • Magnet rare earth oxides (neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium) represent an average of 43% of leachable TREO across 90 samples.
  • The combined thickness-weighted average grade is approximately 510 ppm leachable TREO across 219 metres of reported mineralised intervals.
  • Results come from a 100-metre × 100-metre infill drilling program at Wellfield 1, the planned first production area.

Brazilian Critical Minerals Limited (ASX:BCM) has released magnesium sulphate leach assay results from 30 of the 55 auger drillholes completed as part of a resource infill program at Wellfield 1 of its Ema Ionic Rare Earth Project in Amazonas, Brazil. The results confirm a high-proportion magnet rare earth composition that the Company considers particularly relevant to in-situ recovery operations, given growing global Demand for the rare earth elements used in permanent magnet applications.

Latest Development

The 30 reported drillholes delivered a combined thickness-weighted average of approximately 510 parts per million (ppm) of magnesium sulphate-leachable total rare earth oxides (TREO) across 219 metres of mineralised intersections. Best-hole results include 8.5 metres at 1,062 ppm leachable TREO, 8 metres at 1,019 ppm, and 10 metres at 912 ppm. The results also confirm dysprosium and terbium enrichment toward the base of most holes, with combined dysprosium-terbium oxides accounting for 2–6% of leachable TREO in basal samples. Across 90 samples, magnet rare earth oxides — encompassing neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium — represent an average 43% of leachable TREO.

Company Background

BCM is developing the Ema Rare Earth Project using an in-situ recovery (ISR) approach, in which a magnesium sulphate solution is circulated through the mineralised clay profile to extract rare earth elements. The recovered elements are subsequently processed into mixed rare earth carbonate for export and Downstream refining. The 100-metre by 100-metre infill program at Wellfield 1 was designed to resolve local grade and thickness variations that prior broader-spaced drilling had not captured, providing a tighter dataset to support initial ISR wellfield design and mine planning.

Sector Context

Ionic adsorption clay (IAC) rare earth deposits have attracted significant international attention because of their amenability to low-cost, low-disturbance ISR extraction. These deposits are particularly important for heavy rare earths, including dysprosium and terbium, which are critical inputs for high-performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicle motors and wind turbines. Brazilian IAC projects have emerged as a potential alternative Supply source outside of China, which currently dominates the production of heavy rare earths. The vertical enrichment profile observed at Ema — with heavy rare earth proportions increasing with depth — is consistent with established IAC deposit models.

Market Perception

The 510 ppm average leachable TREO across the wellfield is cited by the Company as comparable to published resource-grade figures from established ISR rare earth operations. The magnet-rich composition — with neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium collectively representing up to 46% of the rare earth basket in selected intervals — is considered commercially relevant, as these four elements typically contribute the majority of economic value in a rare earth carbonate product. The results support continued confidence in the deposit's suitability for the proposed ISR development approach.

Growth Drivers

Demand for heavy rare earths is closely linked to the growth of electric mobility and energy storage technologies, both of which require high-strength permanent magnets. Supply chain Diversification away from dominant geographic sources has become a policy priority in multiple jurisdictions. BCM's Ema project benefits from an established project location in Amazonas State, demonstrated ISR field trial results from prior campaigns, and a dataset that is steadily being refined ahead of wellfield engineering. The identification of dysprosium-terbium enrichment at depth also adds potential value to what is already a magnet-rich rare earth profile.

Risks and Challenges

ISR rare earth projects at the exploration stage face several key risks, including the transition from laboratory-scale leach results to commercial field extraction efficiency, which can differ materially. While the drill-sample leach assays represent an important geological screening tool, the Company has acknowledged that they are not direct predictions of field-scale extraction rates. Regulatory and permitting requirements in Brazil, infrastructure access in a remote Amazon location, and product quality consistency are operational considerations. Additionally, rare earth market prices are subject to periodic volatility, which can affect project Economics even for technically sound deposits.

Recent Announcements

The 30 holes reported in this release are part of a broader 55-hole infill program at Wellfield 1. Remaining assays from the program are expected to follow. The Company has previously reported a Mineral Resource Estimate for the Ema Project and completed ISR field trials that demonstrated in-situ extraction of rare earths using magnesium sulphate and collection of rare-earth-bearing pregnant leach solution. The Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase has been identified as the next engineering step in BCM's development strategy.

Key Insights

The infill drill results at Ema Wellfield 1 reinforce the viability of the deposit's planned in-situ recovery pathway, with a 510 ppm average leachable TREO and an elevated proportion of economically important magnet rare earth oxides. The progressive increase in dysprosium and terbium toward the base of the mineralised profile is consistent with established IAC deposit characteristics and adds potential value to the rare earth product mix. The 100-metre infill program has provided the geological resolution needed to support wellfield design and resource-level inventory assessment as BCM advances toward the FEED phase.