# Namibia Critical Metals Successfully Completes Hydromet Pilot Plant Test Work for the Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Deposit; JOGMEC Increases Budget Canonical Atlas analysis: https://atlas-extractions.minestarters.com/news/namibia-critical-metals-successfully-completes-hydromet-pilot-plant-test-work-fo--a64e8e2c-efcc-4e7f-ae04-ed548eefa2ce Original source: https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/NMI/news/5068582021396452/namibia-critical-metals-successfully-completes-hydromet-pilot-plant-test-work-fo Publisher: tmx Original announcement: 2025-01-22T12:30:00.000Z Analysis by Minestarters Atlas Atlas analysis published: Unknown date Atlas analysis updated: Unknown date - Company: Namibia Critical Metals Inc. - Ticker: NMI - Exchange: TSX - Region: Namibia - Primary commodity: Rare earth elements - Secondary commodities: Terbium, Dysprosium, Yttrium, Uranium, Thorium, Scandium - Document categories: Metallurgy - Extracted: 2026-09-14 15:29:28 UTC Narrative sentiment: 0.80 · Bullish ## Minestarters Atlas summary Namibia Critical Metals has successfully completed hydrometallurgical pilot plant testing at SGS Lakefield for the Lofdal HREE project. The testing resulted in a simplified flowsheet that reduces reagent consumption and achieves high recoveries for terbium and dysprosium. Additionally, JV partner JOGMEC has increased its budget commitment to over $15 million CDN. Reasoning: Successful pilot plant test work demonstrated a simplified, more efficient flowsheet with high recoveries for critical heavy rare earth elements, supported by increased funding from a strategic partner. - Positive factor: Flowsheet simplification reduces reagent consumption - Positive factor: High recovery rates for critical HREE \(Tb and Dy\) - Positive factor: Successful scale-up from bench to pilot rotary kiln - Positive factor: Increased budget commitment from JV partner JOGMEC - Negative factor: Presence of thorium and uranium in the process stream requires management Facts used in scoring: 3 ## Classification and evidence **Mill Route** Polarity: neutral Definition: Processing via mill or concentrator \(CIL, CIP, tank leach, flotation\). Why it applies: The process involves acid baking, water leaching, ion exchange, and carbonate precipitation in a pilot plant setting. Evidence · text > Pilot-scale test work at SGS Lakefield resulted in a simplified flow sheet. **Multi-Domain Tested** Polarity: positive Definition: Variability across ore domains \(oxide, transition, fresh\) has been addressed. Why it applies: 2 distinct composites were tested ## Extracted facts Stored fact records: 3. Some facts used in scoring do not have a stored record. ## Metallurgical Results (3) ### acid bake [Link to this fact](https://atlas-extractions.minestarters.com/news/namibia-critical-metals-successfully-completes-hydromet-pilot-plant-test-work-fo--a64e8e2c-efcc-4e7f-ae04-ed548eefa2ce#fact-metallurgical-facts-0) Lofdal · terbium #### Identity - Project: Lofdal - Commodity: terbium - Region: namibia - Reported Region: Namibia - Ticker: NMI #### Test Work - Program Status: detailed - Test Type: acid bake - Processing Route: two-stage acid bake process \(300°C and 650°C\) followed by water leach and liquor treatment - Sample: 93 kg pilot plant flotation concentrate sample, 2.65% TREO, run-of-mine material from Lofdal Area 4 starter pit #### Recovery - Recovery: 94 % - Recovery Basis: actual\_test - Head Grade: 2.65 - Head Grade Unit: % TREO #### Lab - Laboratory: SGS Lakefield #### Review - Needs Review: No - Historical: No #### Dates - Event date: 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z Reasoning: 94% recovery is exceptional for terbium in this process context. - Positive factor: High recovery of 94% for a critical heavy rare earth Evidence · text > recoveries of around 94% terbium \(Tb\) and dysprosium \(Dy\) using a two-stage acid bake process ### acid bake [Link to this fact](https://atlas-extractions.minestarters.com/news/namibia-critical-metals-successfully-completes-hydromet-pilot-plant-test-work-fo--a64e8e2c-efcc-4e7f-ae04-ed548eefa2ce#fact-metallurgical-facts-1) Lofdal · dysprosium #### Identity - Project: Lofdal - Commodity: dysprosium - Region: namibia - Reported Region: Namibia - Ticker: NMI #### Test Work - Program Status: detailed - Test Type: acid bake - Processing Route: two-stage acid bake process \(300°C and 650°C\) followed by water leach and liquor treatment - Sample: 93 kg pilot plant flotation concentrate sample, 2.65% TREO, run-of-mine material from Lofdal Area 4 starter pit #### Recovery - Recovery: 94 % - Recovery Basis: actual\_test - Head Grade: 2.65 - Head Grade Unit: % TREO #### Lab - Laboratory: SGS Lakefield #### Review - Needs Review: No - Historical: No #### Dates - Event date: 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z Reasoning: 94% recovery is exceptional for dysprosium in this process context. - Positive factor: High recovery of 94% for a critical heavy rare earth Evidence · text > recoveries of around 94% terbium \(Tb\) and dysprosium \(Dy\) using a two-stage acid bake process ### continuous liquor treatment [Link to this fact](https://atlas-extractions.minestarters.com/news/namibia-critical-metals-successfully-completes-hydromet-pilot-plant-test-work-fo--a64e8e2c-efcc-4e7f-ae04-ed548eefa2ce#fact-metallurgical-facts-2) Lofdal · rare earth elements #### Identity - Project: Lofdal - Commodity: rare earth elements - Region: namibia - Reported Region: Namibia - Ticker: NMI #### Test Work - Program Status: detailed - Test Type: continuous liquor treatment - Processing Route: two-stage \(primary and secondary\) impurity removal/neutralization, followed by Uranium IX and two stages of REE carbonate precipitation using sodium carbonate - Sample: REE carbonate precipitate produced in mini pilot plant #### Recovery - Recovery: 100 % - Recovery Basis: actual\_test #### Lab - Laboratory: SGS Lakefield #### Review - Needs Review: No - Historical: No #### Dates - Event date: 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z Reasoning: Almost quantitative recovery of the total REE suite is a very strong metallurgical result. - Positive factor: Overall recovery was almost quantitative Evidence · text > Overall recovery of REE was almost quantitative ## How Atlas produces this analysis Minestarters Atlas uses automated extraction to summarize mining announcements, identify reported measurements, and classify supporting evidence. Sentiment reflects the extracted narrative and classification rules; it is an interpretation, not a reported measurement. Evidence quotes and context are provided where available. Missing data, low-confidence results, and review flags indicate limitations. Check the original publisher announcement before relying on an interpretation.