A definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the Nolans neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) project, in the Northern Territory, has confirmed the project’s economics, with ASX-listed Arafura Resources planning to start project commissioning by mid-2022.
At a capital cost of just over A$1-billion, the Nolans project is expected to deliver 293 000 t/y of concentrate, containing 4 357 t/y NdPr oxide, 135 808 t/y of phosphoric acid and 13 343 t/y total rare-earth oxide equivalent, over a mine-life of 23 years.