Australian Mines Assembles PFS Team Targeting Flemington Scandium Study by Q1 2027
Key Takeaways
- Australian Mines has appointed four specialist consultants — Faultzone, Simulus Engineers, GeoHart & Associates, and AARC Environmental Solutions — to deliver the Flemington Scandium Project PFS by mid-Q1 2027.
- The PFS builds directly on SRK Consulting's April 2026 Scoping Study, allowing the team to validate and carry forward completed work rather than repeat it, compressing both cost and timeline.
- The core reference case is 60 tonnes per annum of Sc₂O₃, with higher production scenarios of up to 180 tpa being assessed alongside it to preserve future development optionality.
- Simulus Engineers' metallurgy workstream is specifically designed to support production of greater than 99.9% purity Sc₂O₃, the quality threshold required for high-performance alloy and solid oxide fuel cell end markets.
- A completed PFS is the standard trigger for meaningful partnership discussions, project financing conversations, and advancement toward a Definitive Feasibility Study.
Flemington PFS team assembled as Australian Mines targets Q1 2027 delivery
Australian Mines (ASX: AUZ) has appointed a specialist multi-disciplinary consultant team to advance the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for its 100%-owned Flemington Scandium Project in New South Wales. The PFS builds directly on SRK Consulting’s April 2026 Flemington Scoping Study and targets completion in mid-Q1 2027, using a 60 tonnes per annum (tpa) of Sc₂O₃ reference case.
The company has adopted a targeted approach designed to validate and refine the existing technical work rather than repeat completed tasks. That efficiency focus is central to the delivery timeline and reflects deliberate, structured project management.
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What is a Pre-Feasibility Study and why does it matter for investors?
A PFS sits in the middle of the mining development pathway, sitting above a Scoping Study and below a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) or Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS), which ultimately feeds into a Final Investment Decision (FID). Each step adds engineering precision, cost confidence, and credibility.
Here is how that progression works in practice:
- Scoping Study: A high-level economic assessment that tests whether a project is worth pursuing further. Confidence levels are relatively broad.
- Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS): Validates project economics, the mine plan, the processing route, and infrastructure assumptions to a higher level of confidence. This is the stage Flemington is entering.
- DFS/BFS: The most detailed and costly study, used to make a binding investment decision and secure project financing.
- Final Investment Decision (FID): The board-level decision to commit capital and proceed to construction.
For investors, a completed PFS is a meaningful de-risking event. It brings the project to a level where potential partners, project financiers, and acquirers can assess it with confidence. For Flemington specifically, the PFS builds directly on SRK’s existing Scoping Study work, which reduces the time and cost required to complete it and keeps the delivery timeline realistic.
The specialist team behind the Flemington PFS
Australian Mines has appointed a team of specialist firms, each responsible for a defined workstream within the integrated PFS.
| Consultant | Discipline | Key Deliverable | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faultzone (Steve Howard) | PFS Management & Integration | Basis of Design, CAPEX and OPEX, project economics, risk assessment, final PFS compilation | Integrates all disciplines into a single technically robust PFS |
| Simulus Engineers | Metallurgy & Process Engineering | Processing route, recoveries, product quality, process plant costs | Designed to support production of greater than 99.9% purity Sc₂O₃ |
| GeoHart & Associates | Geotechnical & Tailings | Geotechnical basis, tailings storage concept, PFS-level design, costs and project risks | Validates site engineering assumptions for mine and infrastructure |
| AARC Environmental Solutions / Hydrogeologist.com.au | Environment, Approvals & Water | Approvals pathway, heritage, rehabilitation and closure, water supply strategy | Clears the regulatory and community pathway for project advancement |
The metallurgy workstream is particularly significant. Simulus Engineers’ testwork programme is specifically designed to support production of greater than 99.9% purity Sc₂O₃, a product quality threshold that matters for end-market acceptance in high-performance alloy and solid oxide fuel cell applications.
The 60 tpa Sc₂O₃ case remains the core PFS reference case. Higher production scenarios of up to 180 tpa are also being assessed alongside it to preserve future development optionality, as previously announced.
Andrew Nesbitt, Managing Director
“SRK’s Scoping Study gave Flemington a strong technical foundation. We are now focused on validating the key assumptions, closing the remaining gaps and delivering the PFS efficiently. The specialist team we have assembled brings proven expertise across every discipline and keeps Flemington on track for PFS completion in the first quarter of 2027.”
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What comes next for Australian Mines and Flemington
The immediate milestones investors should watch include:
- PFS completion is targeted for mid-Q1 2027
- The company has stated it will provide further updates as material PFS milestones are completed
- Existing Scoping Study designs and assumptions will be validated and carried forward where appropriate, accelerating delivery and avoiding duplication of completed work
- Higher production scenarios of up to 180 tpa are being assessed alongside the 60 tpa reference case
A completed PFS is the trigger that typically opens the door to the next phase of the development pathway. It supports a more detailed economic case, increases credibility with potential project partners and financiers, and positions the company to advance toward a Definitive Feasibility Study or meaningful partnership discussions. For Flemington, that pathway now has a defined team, a structured scope, and a delivery timeline anchored to mid-Q1 2027.
The near-surface scandium discovery at Flemington underpins the resource geometry that SRK’s Scoping Study was built on, giving the PFS team a well-defined ore body to work with as they refine the mine plan and processing assumptions.
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