OD6 Metals Unveils High-Quality Rare Earth Products Discovery

OD6 Metals Produces Premium-Grade Rare Earth Products at Splinter Rock

OD6 Metals has achieved a significant milestone at its Splinter Rock Rare Earth Project, successfully producing high-quality rare earth products that position the company for premium market payability and competitive advantage in future offtake discussions.

Breakthrough Results Position OD6 Among Top Global Rare Earth Producers

OD6 Metals has successfully produced high-quality Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC) of approximately 56% TREO and Mixed Rare Earth Hydroxide (MREH) of approximately 59% TREO from its Splinter Rock project. These results were achieved through a simplified and scalable heap leach and impurity removal process flowsheet developed in collaboration with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

The quality of both products positions OD6 as a potential premium producer in the global rare earths market, with key product characteristics including:

• • Over 90% of product value expected from Magnetic Rare Earth content (Nd + Pr + Dy + Tb)

• • Superior product quality with minimal impurities (Al, Fe, P, Si)

• • Extremely low uranium and thorium content (<0.001% U + Th)

• • No expected refinery penalties, ensuring optimal commercial payability

These achievements are particularly significant given the project’s substantial JORC Mineral Resource of 682Mt @ 1,338ppm TREO. Furthermore, the company’s high-grade copper discovery has added another dimension to their growing portfolio of critical minerals.

Advanced Processing Pathway Drives Superior Results

The company’s processing flowsheet represents nine months of testing and refinement, resulting in a multi-stage pathway that efficiently extracts and purifies rare earth elements:

1. 1. Heap Leaching – Simple, low-acid usage leaching of rare earth-bearing clays

1. 1. Nanofiltration (NF) – Recycling of acid, concentration of REEs and reduction of liquid volume

1. 1. Ion Exchange (IX) – Concentration of rare earth elements and enhanced removal of iron and aluminum

1. 1. Impurity Removal (IR) – Final removal of residual deleterious elements

1. 1. Product Precipitation – Recovery of high-grade MREC or MREH from purified solution

The final OD6 Metals high-quality rare earth products contain elevated concentrations of Nd, Pr, Dy and Tb, which are highly sought after in permanent magnet supply chains. In addition, recent samarskite heavy elements discoveries in the sector have highlighted the growing importance of rare earth minerals globally.

Product Quality Meets or Exceeds Global Benchmarks

Benchmark payability for MREC and MREH typically ranges between 70-85% of REO basket value, depending on impurity levels and buyer requirements. The high quality and low impurity nature of OD6’s products opens access to multiple potential downstream customers globally, including separation plants in Asia, Europe and North America.

“This is a significant milestone for OD6 and reinforces Splinter Rock’s potential to become a competitive and scalable producer of high value rare earth products. Our innovative processing pathway – using a combination of nanofiltration, ion exchange and impurity control – has enabled us to produce a high-quality, low-impurity MREC and MREH product that meets or exceeds global benchmarks,” commented Managing Director Brett Hazelden.

Understanding Rare Earth Products: MREC vs. MREH

Rare earth elements must undergo processing to become usable in manufacturing. Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC) and Mixed Rare Earth Hydroxide (MREH) represent intermediate products in the rare earth supply chain that are sold to separation facilities.

These products are particularly valuable when they:

• • Contain high percentages of magnetic rare earths (Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb)

• • Demonstrate low levels of impurities (especially radioactive elements)

• • Meet the quality specifications required by separation facilities

OD6 Metals high-quality rare earth products excel in all these areas, making them attractive to potential offtake partners and likely commanding premium pricing in the market. The mining sector has seen other notable successes recently, including major gold-copper discoveries in North Queensland that have drawn investor attention.

What are rare earth elements and why are they important?

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 metallic elements that, despite their name, are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust. However, they are rarely found in concentrated, economically viable deposits. These elements are crucial components in many high-tech applications including:

• • Permanent magnets used in electric vehicles and wind turbines

• • Electronics and display technologies

• • Defense systems

• • Medical equipment

• • Catalytic converters

The subset known as magnetic rare earths (Neodymium, Praseodymium, Dysprosium, and Terbium) are particularly valuable due to their essential role in creating powerful permanent magnets that are significantly more efficient than traditional magnets.

How are rare earth products processed?

The production of rare earth products typically follows these general steps:

1. 1. Mining and Extraction: Ore containing rare earth elements is mined and processed to extract the elements from surrounding material.

1. 1. Leaching: In clay-hosted deposits like Splinter Rock, acids are used to dissolve the rare earth elements from the clay material.

1. 1. Purification: Various chemical processes remove impurities and concentrate the rare earth content.

1. 1. Precipitation: Chemicals are added to form solid rare earth compounds that can be separated from the solution – typically carbonates or hydroxides.

1. 1. Separation: These mixed compounds are later separated into individual rare earth elements at specialised facilities.

OD6 Metals high-quality rare earth products represent the output from the precipitation stage, creating intermediate products that are sold to separation facilities for further processing into individual rare earth oxides.

Strategic Path Forward

OD6 Metals is moving ahead with several key initiatives:

1. 1. Optioneering Study: The company has engaged CPC Engineering to evaluate multiple technically viable flowsheets and identify the preferred pathway based on cost, recovery, scalability, and product quality.

1. 1. Engagement with Potential Offtake Partners: OD6 is actively engaging with potential offtake partners to assess commercial payability options for its MREC and MREH products.

1. 1. Testwork Scale Up: The company plans to scale up heap leach and impurity removal testwork using twin-holed diamond core material, which will provide samples for optimization tests and offtake discussions.

The Australian mining sector is seeing significant exploration activity, with companies like Nex Metals expanding their gold projects through identification of new exploration targets.

Why Investors Should Follow OD6 Metals

OD6 Metals presents a compelling investment case in the critical minerals sector:

1. 1. World-Class Resource: With a substantial JORC Mineral Resource of 682Mt @ 1,338ppm TREO at Splinter Rock, the company has secured one of Australia’s largest and highest-grade clay-hosted rare earth deposits.

1. 1. Premium Product Quality: The high-quality MREC and MREH products position OD6 to receive premium payability rates from offtake partners.

1. 1. Strategic Market Position: The company’s products are crucial for high-tech applications in defense, electronics, and renewable energy due to their unique magnetic and electronic properties.

1. 1. Innovative Processing: OD6’s simplified and scalable processing flowsheet provides a competitive advantage in terms of cost and efficiency.

1. 1. Global Customer Access: The high quality and low impurity nature of OD6 Metals high-quality rare earth products opens access to multiple potential downstream customers globally.

As global demand for rare earth elements continues to grow, particularly for use in permanent magnets and other high-tech applications, OD6 Metals is positioned to become a significant player in the supply chain with its high-quality products and substantial resource base. In the broader resources sector, companies like EcoGraf are advancing their environmental and social planning for critical mineral projects, highlighting the industry’s growing focus on sustainability.

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