Critica Delivers First Indicated Resource at Jupiter Rare Earths Project
Key Takeaways
- Critica has delivered Jupiter's first Indicated Mineral Resource, 160 Mt at 1,700 ppm TREO, independently estimated by SRK Consulting.
- Total Jupiter resource is 1.7 Bt at 1,700 ppm TREO, slightly below the 1.8 Bt from February 2025, so this update is about confidence rather than size.
- The Indicated material carries more magnet rare earths, at 420 ppm MREO versus 380 ppm in the Inferred, and a 28 Mt zone grades 2,300 ppm TREO at a 2,000 ppm cut-off.
- Pilot-scale work achieved 81% MagREO and 71% TREO recovery, though no Ore Reserve is declared and about 90% of the footprint is yet to be infill drilled.
- The Jupiter Scoping Study, being completed by Sedgmen, is due shortly, with a pre-feasibility study to follow.
Jupiter Indicated Mineral Resource of 160 Mt at 1,700 ppm TREO delivered
Critica Limited (ASX: CRI) has delivered the first Indicated Mineral Resource at its Jupiter Rare Earths Project, part of the 100%-owned Brothers Project in Western Australia. The independent estimate by SRK Consulting puts the Indicated category at 160 Mt at 1,700 ppm TREO.
That sits within an updated Jupiter total of 1.7 Bt at 1,700 ppm TREO, reported at a 1,000 ppm TREO lower cut-off. TREO means Total Rare Earth Oxides, and no Ore Reserve has been declared.
Indicated status is a step up in confidence from the Inferred category, and the announcement says the Jupiter Scoping Study is progressing.
Jacob Deysel, CEO, Critica Limited
“The delivery of Jupiter’s first Indicated Mineral Resource is an important milestone for the Project…”
“…The Jupiter Scoping Study is progressing and will be released shortly.”
Key facts behind the update:
- Infill drilling was completed on a 125 m x 125 m grid
- It covered about 3.3 km² of the 42 km² footprint (about 10%)
- Drilling ran to March 2026, with a data cut-off of 6 July 2026
- Magnet rare earth oxides (MREO) are about 25% of TREO in the Indicated Resource
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Resource breakdown and comparison with the 2025 estimate
Indicated versus Inferred
The table below shows both categories at the 1,000 ppm TREO lower cut-off, as reported by Critica.
| Category | Million Tonnes | TREO ppm | MREO ppm | Nd2O3 ppm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indicated Mineral Resource | 160 | 1,700 | 420 | 310 |
| Inferred Mineral Resource | 1,500 | 1,700 | 380 | 280 |
Grade is the same at 1,700 ppm TREO in both categories, but the Indicated material carries a higher magnet rare earth content. Critica states MREO comprises approximately 24 to 25% of TREO in the Indicated Resources and approximately 23% in the Inferred Resources.
What changed since February 2025
At the same 1,000 ppm cut-off, the February 2025 estimate was 1.8 Bt at 1,700 ppm TREO, entirely Inferred. The 2026 update is 160 Mt Indicated plus 1.5 Bt Inferred, totalling 1.7 Bt at 1,700 ppm TREO.
So the headline tonnage is slightly lower. The story here is confidence in geological and grade continuity within the infill-drilled area, not growth in size.
The company describes the 1,000 ppm cut-off as conservative relative to those used for most peer projects. The vast majority of the resource remains Inferred, which the CEO said reflects an approach of progressively increasing resource confidence across Jupiter.
At higher cut-offs, the Indicated Resource at 2,000 ppm TREO is 28 Mt at 2,300 ppm TREO.
What an Indicated Mineral Resource means for investors
Under the JORC Code (2012), resources are sorted by confidence. Drill spacing drives much of the classification: the broader 250 m x 250 m drilling supports Inferred status, while the closer 125 m x 125 m drilling supported Indicated.
An Indicated Mineral Resource sits above Inferred, and below an Ore Reserve, which has not been declared. The announcement says the model is considered suitable to support mine planning studies, but not suitable for production planning.
The deposit is clay-hosted, meaning the rare earths sit within clay and saprolite (weathered rock) zones. MREO covers the magnet metals: praseodymium, neodymium, terbium and dysprosium oxides.
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Jupiter’s development pathway: processing, location and next steps
Metallurgy supporting the resource
Critica reported these test work results:
- Pilot-scale closed-circuit work achieved recoveries of 81% for MagREO and 71% for TREO, giving a concentrate of about 3% TREO
- A sulphuric acid bake (250 to 260°C) is effective for producing MREO/MREC products
- Preliminary results indicate gallium and scandium by-product potential, with further recovery test work in progress
The rare earths are largely hosted by hydrated phosphate minerals and are unlikely to suit the weak-acid leaching used on Ionic Adsorption Clay deposits. Test work is ongoing, but results to date support “reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction”.
Location and infrastructure
- About 550 km northeast of Perth and 60 km west of Mount Magnet
- Less than 10 km from the sealed Geraldton to Mount Magnet Road
- The Mid-West gas pipeline runs parallel to that road
- Electricity transmission infrastructure is about 40 km southwest
- Relatively flat, sparsely vegetated terrain
- Potential conventional open-pit mining methods
What comes next
Sedgmen has been engaged to complete the Scoping Study, which is progressing and is to be released shortly. A pre-feasibility study will commence on completion of the Scoping Study.
For you as an investor, the update offers increased resource confidence from an independent SRK estimate, and it moves part of Jupiter up the confidence ladder. The announcement notes detailed mining, processing, economic and environmental studies have not yet been completed, and any future development will require mining tenure and statutory approvals.
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