Magnetics Business & Technology - January/February 2024 - 24

INDUSTRY NEWS
Hastings Targets Early 2025 for Start of Rare Earth Production in Australia
gibana mine and processing operation.
The project is noted for its rich ore with
NdPr deposits having a total rare earth
oxide (TREO) ratio averaging 37% with
some areas climbing to 52%, significantly
outdistancing most other deposits
in the world.
Kurbilli Accomodation Village at Hastings Technology's Yangibana
Rare Earths Project in Australia
A torrent of financing commitments and infrastructure development
are centered around Hastings Technology Metals of Perth,
Australia as it builds toward the start of production in early 2025
at its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in remote Western Australia.
In
late November, the company reported progress on a flurry of
fundings and project financings for the project, along with multiple
non-binding financing and partnership proposals received
from global mining funds and debt capital market investors.
The project is fully permitted for initial
rare earth concentrate production in the
first half of 2025. Once operational, it will
support production of around 3,400 tons
annually of NdPr for use in rare earth
magnets over its initial 17-year mine life.
It occupies 650 square kilometers and is
located about 250 kilometers northeast of
Carnarvon in Western Australia. " Since
the discovery of Yangibana in 2014, the
Project has progressed steadily from
exploration into construction (early works)
and we envisage production to commence
by Q2 2025, " says the company.
Plans call for two stages of development.
First comes construction of the Yangibana
mine and beneficiation plant, followed by
the construction of a hydrometallurgical
plant with to process mixed rare earth
" Securing multiple
indicative
funding proposals
is a significant
milestone, " commented
Charles
Lew, executive
chairman. " We
are pleased by the
strong response
we have received
from various
potential financiers
validating
the economic and
technical viability
of the Yangibana
Project. "
carbonate. The mining operations will involve open pit mining including
conventional drill, blast, load and haul with an estimated
ore feed of 1.1 million tons per year into the processing plant.
The mined ore will be processed through a circuit of crushing,
grinding, floatation, tailings and handling with an output of up to
37,000 tons per year of rare earth concentrate at 27% TREO.
In Stage 2, a hydrometallurgical plant will be constructed which
will process the concentrate from Yangibana into mixed rare
earth carbonate (MREC) through a process of cracking, leaching,
precipitation and drying. Once completed, the plant will have an
output of up to 15,000 tons per year of MREC at 59% TREO, to
be shipped to customers for further downstream processing into
NdPr oxides, which are then metallized and alloyed to be made
into a permanent magnet material.
Landing at new Yangibana Airstrip in Western Australia
At the mine site, the company recently completed early infrastructure
works including the Kurrbili Accommodation Village,
Yangibana Airstrip, access roads, production borefields, water
pipelines and clearing and grubbing of the grounds.
Hastings is aiming to become a major producer of neodymium
and praseodymium concentrate (NdPr) from its flagship Yan24
Magnetics Business & Technology * January/February 2024
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Beyond its aspirations to become a rare earths producer, Hastings
also envisions a mines-to-magnet strategy for the future. It
holds a strategic 20.4% shareholding in Neo Performance Materials,
a leading global rare earth processing and advanced permanent
magnets producer, which is aimed at providing Hastings
an opportunity to explore broader avenues in the supply chain.
Neo is uniquely positioned as the owner of the only operating
commercial rare earth separation and rare metals facility in Europe
and has recently broken ground on a new factory in Estonia
to manufacture sintered NdFeB permanent magnets. Hastings
also owns and operates the Brockman project, Australia's largest
heavy rare earths deposit.
For more info, see www.hastingstechmetals.com.
http://www.hastingstechmetals.com http://www.MagneticsMag.com
Magnetics Business & Technology - January/February 2024

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