Brazilian Rare Earths Advances Pilot Plant, Secures Co-Funding for Hydrometallurgical Phase
Event summary
- Brazilian Rare Earths (BRE) commissioned its Stage I metallurgical pilot plant, producing first rare earth mineral concentrate.
- SENAI CIMATEC and partners secured R$6.4 million (~A$1.7 million) in co-funding for Stage II hydrometallurgical pilot plant.
- Stage II piloting will test extraction and separation of NdPr oxide, heavy rare earth HRE+ concentrate, and uranium yellowcake.
- Commissioning of Stage II plant planned for Q2 2027, with equipment deliveries expected in Q4 2026.
- Carester to lead separation workstream and support engineering for planned Camaçari rare earth refinery.
The big picture
BRE's advancement in pilot plant phases underscores the growing strategic importance of rare earth processing capabilities outside of China. The co-funding from SENAI CIMATEC highlights Brazil's push to develop domestic critical mineral processing, while Carester's involvement signals the global race to secure supply chains for heavy rare earth elements. Successful commercialization of co-products like uranium and scandium could significantly enhance BRE's cost position on the global rare earth cost curve.
What we're watching
- Execution Risk
- Whether BRE can deliver on the planned commissioning timeline for Stage II pilot plant by Q2 2027.
- Cost Optimization
- The pace at which BRE can validate and commercialize co-product pathways to reduce net unit costs.
- Strategic Partnerships
- How the collaboration with Carester and SENAI CIMATEC will impact the technical and commercial success of the Camaçari refinery.