Cobra Resources Validates Wudinna Purification Process

Cobra Resources (LSE:COBR) has completed initial testing at the Wudinna Rare Earth Project in South Australia to support its forthcoming Scoping Study. The work confirms a credible pathway to produce a higher-purity mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) product with reduced radionuclide concentrations, a key factor in defining the project's commercial viability.

Test work conducted with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) demonstrated that more than 90% of high-value magnet and heavy rare earths were retained during the purification step. The process also selectively removed lower-value lanthanum and significantly reduced radium and actinium levels, thereby increasing the relative weighting of valuable elements in the final product.

Purification results enhance product value

By removing lower-value material before final precipitation, Cobra can reduce the volume of material requiring downstream separation. Managing Director Rupert Verco stated that the initial ANSTO test work is an important step in defining how the company can improve product quality. The results show substantial removal of radium and actinium while retaining the magnet and heavy rare earths that underpin the product's market value.

Verco noted that these findings are the first stage of evaluating the purification step. The company will now incorporate these results into engineering design and the Scoping Study. This includes optimizing operating conditions and assessing the overall economic contribution of the process to the project's bottom line.

Ongoing testing supports engineering assessment

Further testing is currently underway at ANSTO to support the engineering assessment and Scoping Study. Key work streams include dissolving Cobra’s MREC and applying ANSTO’s proprietary purification technology. The team is also focusing on lixiviant optimisation, resource recovery evaluation, and bench-scale in situ recovery trials to refine the process parameters.

Strategic focus on critical minerals

Cobra Resources is advancing two critical minerals opportunities in South Australia, including Wudinna and the Manna Hill Copper Project. Manna Hill covers 1,855 square kilometers in the Nackara Arc, an underexplored region with proven porphyry-style mineralisation. The company continues to prioritize the development of these assets to diversify its revenue streams and secure its position in the critical minerals sector.