Everlast Minerals Locks in Three-Year Research Pact With Bangladesh Nuclear Body
Key Takeaways
- Everlast Minerals signed a three-year MoU with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) on 8 September 2026, formalising a joint scientific research program on Bangladesh's coastal and riverine mineral sands.
- The signing ceremony was attended by Ministry of Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain as chief guest, elevating the agreement to a government-level recognition of the collaboration.
- The MoU covers sample collection, mineralogy, geochemistry, metallurgy, and mineral separation research, with Everlast contributing its hydraulic core drilling rig, vessels, and field access.
- The collaboration follows Everlast's Gaibandha Project first export shipment completed in August 2026, giving the new research partnership an operational commercial context.
- The MoU is explicitly a foundation-building step — not a development commitment — with any future pathway conditional on research outcomes, required approvals, and commercial assessment.
MoU secured with Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission
Everlast Minerals (ASX: EV8) has secured a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), signed on 8 September 2026 at the Ministry of Science and Technology in Dhaka. The agreement formalises a government-institution and private-sector collaboration on scientific research supporting the development of Bangladesh’s mineral sands industry.
The BAEC is a Bangladesh Government scientific institution covering nuclear science, mineralogy, geochemistry, materials science, radiation applications and environmental studies. Its involvement elevates this collaboration beyond informal engagement, giving Everlast a structured framework with an established national research body. The signing ceremony was attended by Ministry Secretary Md Anwar Hossain as chief guest, alongside BAEC Chairman Dr M Moinul Islam and Delwar Titu, Managing Director of Everlast’s Bangladesh subsidiary.
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What the collaboration covers
Under the MoU, Everlast and BAEC intend to undertake joint scientific and industrial research on mineral sands from Bangladesh’s southern coastal and riverine areas. The scope of work includes:
- Sample collection and physical and chemical analysis
- Mineralogy and geochemistry studies
- Metallurgy research
- Mineral separation and processing technology research
- Field operations supported by Everlast’s hydraulic core drilling rig and vessels
- Everlast to meet travel expenses for participating field teams
It is worth noting clearly: the MoU does not constitute a government guarantee or project approval, nor does it remove sovereign, permitting, execution or commercial risks.
What Everlast brings to the table
The two parties contribute distinct capabilities. BAEC provides national scientific expertise, laboratory infrastructure and institutional reach across Bangladesh’s research landscape. Everlast contributes field access, its hydraulic core drilling rig and vessels, and operating experience in the country’s southern coastal and riverine areas.
Understanding mineral sands and why Bangladesh matters
Mineral sands are naturally occurring deposits of heavy minerals — including titanium-bearing minerals such as ilmenite and rutile, zirconium-bearing zircon, and rare earth element-bearing monazite. These commodities feed into industries ranging from aerospace and paint manufacturing to nuclear fuel processing. Coastal and riverine environments are among the most geologically prospective settings for mineral sands because wave action and river dynamics concentrate heavy minerals over long periods.
Bangladesh’s southern coast and river delta system sit within this prospective category. The country’s extensive river network creates conditions where heavy mineral accumulation is geologically plausible. Everlast is also advancing its flagship Gaibandha Project and its Kurigram and Pabna exploration licence applications within highly prospective regions of Bangladesh.
The Gaibandha Project first export shipment, completed in August 2026, marks the commercial production milestone that gives the BAEC collaboration additional operational context, with Everlast now demonstrating active output from its flagship Bangladesh asset alongside the new research partnership.
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Building the institutional and scientific foundation
Executive Chairman Paul Qian framed the MoU’s significance in the company’s announcement:
Paul Qian, Executive Chairman, Everlast Minerals
“Formalising our collaboration with BAEC is an important step in building the scientific and institutional framework needed to evaluate Bangladesh’s mineral sands opportunities. BAEC brings national scientific capability, while Everlast can contribute field access, equipment and operating experience. We welcome the recognition shown by the Ministry of Science and Technology at the signing ceremony and look forward to a disciplined program of joint research over the three-year term. The work is intended to strengthen the evidence base for future decisions; any development pathway will remain subject to research outcomes, required approvals and commercial assessment.”
The three-year term is designed to build a stronger technical evidence base for evaluating potential processing and value-addition opportunities in Bangladesh’s mineral sands. Any development pathway that follows will remain conditional on research outcomes, required approvals and commercial assessment. This is a foundation-building step, not a development commitment.
MoU at a glance:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Partner | Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) |
| Signed | 8 September 2026 |
| Location | Ministry of Science and Technology, Dhaka |
| Term | Three years |
| Focus area | Southern coastal and riverine mineral sands, Bangladesh |
Ready to Learn More About Everlast Minerals’ Bangladesh Mineral Sands Strategy?
Everlast Minerals (ASX: EV8) has formalised a three-year research collaboration with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, establishing a structured scientific framework to evaluate the country’s coastal and riverine mineral sands potential across titanium, zirconium and rare earth-bearing deposits.
Investors seeking a deeper understanding of EV8’s project pipeline, including the Gaibandha Project and its broader Bangladesh exploration strategy, can explore the full Everlast Minerals company profile on Discovery Alert to assess the emerging opportunity.