Rainbow Rare Earths Ltd (LSE:RBW, OTC:RBWRF, FRA:RR1) CEO George Bennett and technical director Dave Dodd joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to discuss significant process improvements at its phosphogypsum rare earths recovery project ahead of the definitive feasibility study.
Dodd explained that a better understanding of fluorine management has allowed Rainbow to remove an entire processing stage by using silica to control fluorine during leaching, while the introduction of Continuous Ion Exchange technology further simplifies plant design.
Bennett said the improvements are expected to keep capital within previously guided ranges while reducing operational risk. "We believe these optimisations have simplified our flow sheet, which bodes well for not only OpEx, but also the operability of the plant," he said.
The discussion also covered the technical challenges of recovering rare earths from phosphogypsum rather than mined ore, with Dodd noting the company has developed a process using established industrial technologies to support confidence in commercial scalability.
Remaining optimisation work ahead of DFS completion focuses on the interface between the Continuous Ion Exchange circuit and the downstream solvent extraction process, which is expected to produce high-purity NdPr and a valuable heavy rare earth concentrate.
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