Rare Earth Oxide Production Milestone Achieved by Victory Metals at North Stanmore Site
Victory Metals Achieves Breakthrough in Rare Earth Production
Victory Metals (ASX:VTM) has made a significant stride in the rare earths sector with the successful production of a mixed rare earth oxide (MREO) product containing 94% total rare earth oxides (TREO) at its North Stanmore heavy rare earth project in Western Australia [1][5]. This achievement is reportedly the highest grade heavy rare earth-enriched MREO produced from an Australian clay-hosted rare earth project to date.
The milestone was achieved in collaboration with the ALS metallurgy laboratory in Western Australia, along with Victory's own technical team [1]. The project hosts a substantial mineral resource estimated at 247.5 million tonnes as of January 2025, with 72% in the indicated category, highlighting its significant scale [1].
The production breakthrough was made possible using a proprietary processing flowsheet, which allows for the creation of a market-ready, high-value MREO product directly, without the need for additional concentration or cracking processes [1][5]. This stage precedes further downstream processing steps such as rare earth element separation and metallisation [1].
Victory Metals views this achievement as a crucial step toward securing strategic partnerships, scaled production trials, and potential offtake agreements, particularly targeting non-Chinese manufacturers who are increasingly focused on supply chain security and ethical sourcing of critical minerals [3][5]. The company's leadership emphasizes that the breakthrough elevates North Stanmore's profile in a tightening global rare earths market, poised to benefit from growing demand for independent, ESG-compliant rare earth supply chains [3][4][5].
The project's location, approximately 6 kilometers north of Cue, Western Australia, positions Australia to play a more prominent role in supplying heavy rare earth elements—critical for advanced technologies such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense applications—offering a strategic alternative to dominant Chinese sources. The combination of substantial resources, high-grade MREO production, and focus on ethical sourcing could help reshape global rare earths supply and support Australia's growing critical minerals industry [1][3][4].
In addition, the US Government's System for Award Management has approved Victory Metals for engagement with US federal agencies [7]. This approval enables the company to potentially engage with the Department of Defence (DoD) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States, opening up opportunities for increased partnerships and funding in the US [7].
Victory Metals' CEO and Executive Director, Brendan Clark, stated that this is one of the most significant technical and commercial breakthroughs in Victory's journey so far [6]. The company is progressing oftake conversations in relation to the North Stanmore project and expects increased offtake interest following this, especially from companies seeking Chinese rare earths independence [2].
Further metallurgical work at North Stanmore is currently in progress, with a total of 453 samples averaging 525 parts per million TREO taken from the project area [1]. The production record is a first in Australia and sets a new benchmark for the entire sector.
References:
- Victory Metals Press Release
- The West Australian
- Mining Journal
- Proactive Investors
- InvestorIntel
- ASX Announcement
- US Government System for Award Management
The achievement in rare earth production by Victory Metals at North Stanmore has opened opportunities for strategic partnerships with non-Chinese manufacturers in the technology and finance sectors, due to the focus on supply chain security and ethical sourcing of critical minerals. The high-grade MREO production and substantial resources at the project are poised to reshape the energy industry, particularly in the production of electric vehicles, renewable energy, and defense applications.
