At the same time, a pilot-scale beneficiation program with Brazil’s GAVAQ is assessing a closed-circuit operation to fine-tune the flowsheet ahead of key study inputs. Metallurgical tests showed the beneficiated Jupiter concentrate can be leached using less expensive, simple, scalable hydrometallurgical methods to produce a clean, high-purity oxide product.
‘Appointing Sedgman to lead the Jupiter scoping study is a major step forward…’
Critica Limited chief executive officer Jacob Deysel
Drilling is also on the agenda, with plans underway to increase the resource tonnage and grade, support resource optimisation and mine planning assumptions. The campaign will also seek to upgrade the resource from an inferred to an indicated category.
Timing-wise, Critica is targeting completion of the scoping study in the first half of 2026, subject to work programs and inputs. If the numbers stack up, the company expects to deliver a completed pre-feasibility study in the second half of this year, a definitive feasibility study in 2027 and a potential final investment decision thereafter.
At the same time, the company is progressing engagement with off-take partners and downstream technology partners. In particular, the company is pushing forward selective gallium precipitation trials and is screening scandium and germanium recovery options.
All of this is unfolding against a powerful macro backdrop. Demand for rare earths continues to accelerate, driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy, advanced electronics and defence applications.
With governments and manufacturers scrambling to secure non-Chinese supply, projects that promise scale, simplicity and capital discipline are increasingly in the spotlight.
For Critica, the Jupiter scoping study is about more than just economics. It is the bridge between discovery and development and a crucial step in the company’s broader mine-to-magnet ambition.
If Sedgman and its partners can translate Jupiter’s technical strengths into a robust commercial case, the project could emerge as a serious contender in Australia’s critical minerals push.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
