Critica Appoints Interim Study Manager Ahead of Dual Scoping Studies in Q3 2026
Critica has appointed Mike Kevan as Interim Study Manager as it advances dual Scoping Studies across its flagship tin-tungsten and rare earth projects. The appointment signals the ASX-listed critical minerals developer’s organisational evolution from exploration towards project development, with both the Mt Lindsay and Jupiter Scoping Studies due Q3 2026. The hire provides technical leadership during a parallel recruitment process for a permanent full-time General Manager Projects.
Critica sharpens development focus as dual Scoping Studies near completion
Critica (ASX: CRI) has brought on Mike Kevan as Interim Study Manager, a move that reflects the company’s shift from explorer to developer as two flagship Scoping Studies advance in parallel. The Mt Lindsay tin-tungsten project in Tasmania and the Jupiter rare earth project in Western Australia are both progressing towards Q3 2026 study completion, with Kevan’s appointment adding project development capability at the exact stage these assets require it. The company is simultaneously running a formal recruitment process for a permanent full-time General Manager Projects.
The timing of the hire coincides with a critical inflection point: both projects are maturing from exploration into Scoping Study-stage development. Mt Lindsay is being redesigned using a first-principles approach, while Jupiter is incorporating optimised metallurgical results into its Scoping Study. Together, the two assets position Critica as a diversified critical minerals developer with exposure across rare earths, yttrium, gallium, tin and tungsten.
Jacob Deysel, CEO
“We are advancing two significant Scoping Studies in parallel across Mt Lindsay and Jupiter as we continue to build Critica into a leading Australian critical minerals developer. As these projects mature, we are strengthening our project development team and the systems, governance and technical integration required to support their progression through the next stages of development. Mike’s appointment adds valuable project development experience to the team during this important period, while we undertake a formal recruitment process for a permanent full-time General Manager Projects to provide long-term leadership as our projects continue to advance.”
When big ASX news breaks, our subscribers know first
A new Interim Study Manager to steer development capability
Mike Kevan brings 25+ years of experience in mineral processing, engineering leadership and project development across critical minerals, industrial minerals, iron ore and base metals. His background spans early-stage studies and metallurgical testwork through to engineering, construction support and commissioning. In the Interim Study Manager role, Kevan will work with Critica’s technical team and external consultants to support project development activities across the company’s critical minerals portfolio.
The appointment is explicitly interim. Critica is running a formal recruitment process for a permanent full-time General Manager Projects to provide long-term leadership as the projects continue to advance. The interim structure allows the company to maintain technical momentum on both Scoping Studies while securing the right candidate for the permanent role.
Kevan’s credentials include:
- 25+ years in mineral processing, engineering leadership and project development
- Experience across critical minerals, industrial minerals, iron ore and base metals
- Technical capability spanning early-stage studies and metallurgical testwork through to engineering, construction support and commissioning
The hire adds project development depth at the stage where Critica needs it: two Scoping Studies advancing simultaneously, both due within the current quarter, and both requiring integration of mining, processing, infrastructure and environmental considerations into coherent development concepts.
Inside the two flagship Scoping Studies
Critica’s development pipeline centres on two materially different projects, each targeting commodities with structural demand tailwinds tied to defence, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and electrification.
Mt Lindsay — a first-principles redesign of a tin-tungsten asset
The Mt Lindsay Project in Tasmania is one of Australia’s largest undeveloped tin-tungsten projects. The Scoping Study is advancing a first-principles redesign that integrates mining, processing, infrastructure and environmental considerations from the outset to evaluate a modern underground development concept. The project hosts approximately 81 kt tin and approximately 3.2Mt mtu WO₃ (approximately 32kt tungsten). The first-principles approach represents a departure from legacy development concepts, with Critica rethinking the project design to align with current market, environmental and operational standards.
Jupiter — Australia’s largest clay-hosted rare earth project
The Jupiter Rare Earth Project in Western Australia is Australia’s largest clay-hosted rare earth project, with a resource of approximately 1.8Bt. The Scoping Study is progressing following successful metallurgical optimisation programmes that have improved beneficiation performance, concentrate grade and hydrometallurgical performance. These outcomes are being incorporated into the Jupiter Scoping Study. The project provides exposure to magnet and heavy rare earth elements (Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb), yttrium, and gallium and scandium co-products. The clay-hosted structure and scale give Jupiter a materially different cost and development profile compared to hard-rock rare earth deposits.
| Project | Location | Commodities | Scale/Resource | Study Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Lindsay | Tasmania | Tin, tungsten | ~81 kt tin, ~3.2Mt mtu WO₃ (~32kt tungsten) | Scoping Study due Q3 2026 |
| Jupiter | Western Australia | Rare earths, yttrium, gallium, scandium | ~1.8Bt (largest clay-hosted REE) | Scoping Study due Q3 2026 |
Why critical minerals matter
Critical minerals are elements designated as strategically important due to their role in defence, technology and industrial applications, combined with supply chain concentration risk. Tin, tungsten, rare earths, yttrium and gallium fall into this category because they are essential to semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, electrification and defence systems. These are not commodities with substitutable alternatives in most applications.
What this means for you: Critica’s commodity exposure sits at the intersection of national security and future industrial demand. The company is not chasing cyclical bulk commodities; it is targeting materials underpinning structural supply chain priorities across Western economies. That positions the projects within a fundamentally different demand framework compared to traditional mining equities.
The next major ASX story will hit our subscribers first
A diversified developer with near-term catalysts
Critica is building a scalable Australian critical minerals platform with exposure to rare earths, yttrium, gallium, tin and tungsten. The dual-project structure provides commodity diversification within the critical minerals thesis, reducing single-commodity risk while maintaining strategic alignment across the portfolio. Both projects are advancing towards the same near-term catalyst: Scoping Study completion in Q3 2026.
What investors should watch:
- Delivery of the Mt Lindsay Scoping Study (due Q3 2026)
- Delivery of the Jupiter Scoping Study (due Q3 2026)
- Appointment of a permanent full-time General Manager Projects
The company has not disclosed financials, capex estimates or valuation targets at this stage. The investment case centres on project advancement, study delivery and team strengthening. The hire of an Interim Study Manager and the parallel recruitment for a permanent General Manager Projects tell you Critica is building the organisational capability required to take both projects through feasibility and development decision gates. The next quarter delivers two key technical milestones and, potentially, permanent leadership for the project development function.
Want the Next Critical Minerals Breakout in Your Inbox?
Join 30,000+ investors getting FREE breaking ASX news delivered within minutes of release, complete with in-depth analysis. Click the “Free Alerts” button at Discovery Alert to start receiving real-time alerts on ASX Mining and Energy stocks the moment market-moving announcements drop.