[SMM Flash: Australian Miner Discovers High-Grade Rare Earth in Brazil] Australian mining company St George Mining (SGM) announced the discovery of high-grade rare earth elements in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil.
Currently, SGM is continuing its drilling operations at the Araxa project. The project boasts a significant proportion of near-surface rare earth reserves, exceeding previous mineral resource estimates for the region. The discovery reveals that drilling on the eastern side of the Araxa mine has yielded a total rare earth oxide (TREO) content of up to 1,500 ppm for heavy rare earths dysprosium, terbium, lutetium, and gadolinium. Data provided by SGM indicate that near-surface analysis shows samarium reaching a maximum TREO content of 2,600 ppm, while neodymium and praseodymium reach up to 39,600 ppm. The total rare earth grade at the Araxa mine has a TREO content as high as 168,700 ppm, making it the highest-grade carbonate rare earth deposit in South America. Currently, there remains over 8,000 meters (approximately 5 miles) of area yet to be drilled. In the future, the mine is expected to become one of the largest rare earth mines outside China, rivaling projects such as the Mountain Pass mine in California and the Mt Weld mine in Western Australia.