Company Interview / Critica delivers first high-grade rare earths from Jupiter

Key points:

Critica has produced its first high-grade rare earth product at Jupiter, the largest clay hosted deposit in Australia84% oxide content and 78% recovery rate have been achievedDiscussions with offtake partners are underway as Critica seeks to secure supply chain agreementsCritika aims to strengthen Western supply chains, addressing reliance on China for rare earths

Critica has marked a significant milestone with the production of its first high-grade mixed rare earth product from the Jupiter project, described by Jacob Deysel as Australia's largest and highest-grade clay hosted rare earth deposit. Deysel highlights that Jupiter is not only notable within Australia but ranks as one of the largest globally, attracting keen interest from the market. The process to achieve this result involved systematic scaling, starting with small samples and gradually expanding. The latest production reached an 84% total oxide content and a 78% recovery rate—figures seen by Deysel as highly significant.

Deysel states that Critica ’s focus is now on moving towards agreements with potential offtake partners, noting the project's advantageous location in Western Australia, near facilities such as Iluka Resources. The recent milestone, in Deysel’s opinion, de-risks the project and positions Critica to engage seriously with prospective buyers. Commissioning of a pilot plant in Vietnam is expected to further optimise production and support forthcoming supply negotiations.

Commenting on rare earth markets, Deysel observes that, despite recent ASX price volatility, the demand for non-Chinese supply chains is surging. Deysel contends that Jupiter’s scale and simplicity could establish it as a cornerstone for Western critical minerals supply, addressing growing strategic vulnerabilities.