Highlights

  • Ore sorting doubled rare earth grades while maintaining recoveries between 95% and 99%.
  • Single-pass processing produced concentrates exceeding 27% total rare earth oxides.
  • Testing showed that close to 25% of feed mass could be eliminated as waste without significant rare earth losses.

Brazilian Rare Earths Limited (ASX:BRE) reported results from an independent sensor-based ore sorting test program conducted on mineralised material from its Monte Alto project in Brazil. The test work evaluated the suitability of multi-sensor ore sorting as a beneficiation step prior to hydrometallurgical processing.

The program used crushed drill core samples and was completed using STEINERT’s KSS CLI XT multi-sensor ore sorting platform. This system integrates X-ray transmission, 3D laser scanning, and inductive sensors to differentiate mineralised particles from waste based on density, surface texture, and magnetic response.

Feed Characteristics and Test Methodology
Composite feed samples were prepared from multiple Monte Alto drill holes and screened into two size fractions: −25/+8 mm and +25 mm. The feed blend included ultra-high, high, medium-grade, and waste material in equal proportions.

Calculated head grades were 12.4% TREO for the −25/+8 mm fraction and 13.0% TREO for the +25 mm fraction. All reported results were derived from chemical assays and mass balance calculations.

Waste Rejection and Metal Retention
The sorting system enabled the exclusion of nearly 25–28% of total feed mass during processing. The rejected material contained between 0.1% and 0.3% TREO, representing less than 0.3% of total contained rare earth elements. This indicates limited rare earth losses during waste removal across both size fractions.

High-Grade Concentrate Results
Single-stage ore sorting produced a concentrate grading approximately 27% TREO from both size fractions. Upgrade factors exceeded 2.0x, with mass yields of 27.0% for the −25/+8 mm fraction and 31.3% for the +25 mm fraction. Corresponding recoveries ranged from 59% to 65%.

Cumulative Recovery Scenarios
Cascade processing scenarios were also evaluated by recombining retained fractions to balance grade and recovery. These scenarios delivered cumulative recoveries between 96% and 99%, with product grades ranging from 16% to 21% TREO and upgrade factors of 1.3x to 1.7x.

The test results confirm that sensor-based ore sorting can increase effective feed grade while rejecting waste prior to downstream processing. The beneficiation approach relies on dry separation and does not require water or chemical reagents.

Market Snapshot
Shares of Brazilian Rare Earths closed at AUD 4.09 on 4 February, up 4.60%.