Personnel and equipment have been mobilised to one of the most highly valued neodymium and praseodymium concentrate (NdPr) deposits in the world at the Yangibana rare earths project site in the Gascoyne region, WA.

As part of a $20m package, Hastings Technology Metals (ASX: HAS) will begin early infrastructure and earthworks activities prior to its scheduled plant construction and mine development this year, with first output anticipated in 2023.

With an estimated 16.7mt reserve and a 15-year mine life, the site is expected to produce 3400tpa of the highly valuable NdPr through its hydrometallurgical processing method of cracking, leaching, precipitation and drying.

NdPr are vital components in the permanent magnets used every day in high-tech products ranging from electric vehicles to wind turbines, robotics and medical applications.

Hastings Technology Metals executive chairman Charles Lew says the journey to develop the Yangibana rare earths project began in 2014, with the Perth company aiming to become the world’s next producer of NdPr.

“The scope of these initial works is being carried out by the Hastings team, a credit to the calibre and experience we have built into our team over the past six months,” he said.

“Getting an early start will allow Hastings to manage the overall timetable to production of our first mixed rare earths concentrate, which contains high levels of neodymium and praseodymium.”

Yangibana’s first construction period will focus on access roads connecting the mine site to public shire roads, a 2km airstrip capable of accommodating aircraft up to 50-seat capacity, a 300-bed accommodation village, a multi-tower communications microwave link to connect the site to the public network, water reticulation from the borefield to the processing plant and ongoing geotechnical services.

The US recently concluded that permanent magnets are one of the most critical elements in their country’s future growth.

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