Resouro set to sparkle with full program for Tiros development

Resouro Strategic Metals has a full work program underway at its Tiros Titanium and Rare Earths Project, with staged outcomes scheduled throughout 2025

Key milestones include an update to the current 1.7 billion tonne mineral resource estimate and scoping study for a full-scale plant at Tiros Central Block

Ultimate aim to transform the world class critical minerals project into a low-cost producer in Brazil’s mining friendly state of Minas Gerais

Special Report: Resouro has released a full schedule of activities for the year ahead, aimed at transforming its world scale Tiros titanium and rare earths project in Brazil into a low-cost critical minerals mine.

With a current mineral resource estimate of 1.7 billion tonnes, Tiros is one of the largest JORC combined rare earths and titanium deposits globally, containing 198 million tonnes of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and 6.6 million tonnes of total rare earth oxides.

The release of the work schedule follows Resouro’s (ASX:RAU) appointment of Progesys as technical study managers and Sete Meio Ambiente for environmental studies earlier this month.

MRE update to scoping studies

First up are assay results from 49 new diamond drill holes encompassing 2500 samples drilled in 2024.

The targeted drilling program was aimed at both resource growth at the project where the current MRE covers only 7% of the 497km2 project, and boosting understanding of the shallow and consistently high-grade mineralisation.

The drill samples are currently being processed and initial assay results are expected imminently, with the remaining samples scheduled for completion within the next six weeks.

An updated MRE will follow about four weeks after Resouro receives all remaining assay results and is scheduled to be published late in the first quarter of 2025 or early in Q2.

Demonstration plant

Looking ahead to mine development, Resouro has started an application process for trial mining licences to complement a demonstration plant scoping study in the Tiros Northern Block. The approval process for a trial mining licence is typically shorter than that of a full mining concession.

The demonstration plant scoping study will build on current metallurgical test work and the development of an optimised metallurgical flowsheet, which will feed into prefeasibility and definitive feasibility studies.

The Northern Block offers high-grade resources from surface, cost-effective ‘free-dig’ mining potential, affordable power, sealed roads, water availability and minimal environmental impact, while the area is free from agricultural activities.

Resouro is looking to the Northern Block’s beneficiation potential and high metallurgical recoveries to deliver substantial production volumes of rare earth oxides, TiO2 and valuable by-products. These have potential to deliver early cash flow from a relatively low capex operation before the transition to full-scale production.

It’s anticipated that the demonstration plant scoping study will start in Q2 of CY2025.

Benefits of beneficiation

Resouro is also undertaking physical beneficiation testwork using a selection of methods at laboratories in Perth, Belo Horizonte and at the University of São Paulo to evaluate the feasibility of separating key components from the Tiros material such as TiO₂, iron minerals and silica, and leaching for REE.

Beneficiation will reduce the volume of material requiring leaching while increasing the head grade supplied to the rare earths leaching circuit, making the process more efficient.

Building on world-leading results

Testwork on mineralisation from the Tiros Central Block with Altilium nitric acid technology has so far delivered world-leading REE extraction rates.

Extractions were over 96 per cent of the magnet rare earth oxides from representative samples selected from a cross section of the Tiros mineralisation.

The TiO₂ enriched residue is currently being analysed by laboratories in Perth to determine the next steps for separating TiO2 and other materials.

Additionally, a 200kg sample will be used to repeat the initial sighter test-work and leach work. The data from this work will allow Altilium to provide scoping study-level capital and operating cost estimates for various scales of production. This information will then be integrated into both scoping studies.

After the mineral beneficiation test work has been finished, Resouro plans to provide mineral concentrate samples for marketing purposes with potential off-takers across Europe, North America and Southeast Asia.

A portion of the mixed rare earth nitrate liquor from the leaching of the 45kg sample will be sent to a potential off-taker in the US. The remaining liquor will be converted into a mixed rare earth oxide for distribution to various potential offtakers in the US and Europe.

Resouro has also undertaken a high-temperature sulphuric acid treatment process to investigate the potential to produce saleable products materials TiO2, iron oxide, silica and alumina products, which would offset the cost of producing REE and TiO2.

Initial test-work has been completed resulting in several products, along with a mixed rare earth sulphide liquor. All these products are currently at the SGS Geosol Laboratory in Belo Horizonte for recovery and product quality analysis.

This article was developed in collaboration with Resouro Strategic Metals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.