Critica Limited is advancing an optimization program for Jupiter, Australia’s largest clay-hosted rare earths resource, with a focus on cutting downstream reagent use and simplifying the processing flow.

The cost-optimization push has already delivered strong beneficiation results, including about 95% mass rejection, roughly 81% MagREO recovery, and a fourteen-fold upgrade to an intermediate concentrate near 3% TREO.

For every 100 tonnes mined, around five tonnes may need full chemical treatment, making that five-tonne fraction cheaper to process with less acid.

Sulphuric acid is a major operating cost driver, so reducing its use could lower transport, handling, and processing costs and improve overall project economics.

Independent validation from ANSTO, GAVAQ, and AMML confirms reduced acid consumption under optimized conditions while maintaining strong rare earths extraction rates.

The verification underscores a stage-by-stage optimisation approach across beneficiation, concentrate grade, and downstream reagent use.

Australia’s policy environment supports domestic critical minerals processing to secure sovereign supply chains and lower-cost, Western-aligned production.

Critica reports a 30% reduction in sulphuric acid consumption at Jupiter, down to about one tonne of acid per tonne of feed, with strong rare earth recoveries maintained.

CEO Jacob Deysel emphasizes a holistic optimisation of the entire processing flowsheet to preserve recoveries while lowering processing costs, especially acid-related costs.

The strategy aims to simplify the processing flowsheet, shrink the downstream chemical plant, and reduce reagent use to lower operating costs for future production.

Management will continue hydrometallurgical optimisation, validate testwork, refine acid bake conditions, and optimize reagent use across varying feed grades to feed into the Jupiter Scoping Study expected in Q3 2026.

Jupiter is transitioning toward a commercially credible development, with the scoping study as a key milestone, while Mt Lindsay Tin-Tungsten in Tasmania provides portfolio diversification.