JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Several key appointments have been made at the Browns Range heavy rare earth project, in Western Australia, including that of a general manager (GM).

Metallurgist Tony Hadley has been appointed GM for the Browns Range project, starting in mid-February, ASX-listed Northern Minerals announced on Wednesday.

He has 26 years’ experience in the construction, operation, flowsheet development and management of rare earths, base metals, vanadium and gold projects, including ten years with Lynas Corporation, where he was the operations manager for the Mt Weld rare earth mine.

Hadley has spent two-and-a-half years with Northern Minerals as process manager, undertaking metallurgical testwork and developing the process flowsheet of the Browns Range project.

Northern Minerals has also appointed several other key operational team members, including the research and development (R&D) manager, senior process engineer, senior chemist and maintenance supervisor.

“These key appointments provide strength and key rare earth experience as we move towards the production phase of the project,” Northern Minerals MD and CEO George Bauk commented.

The appointment of Hadley comes as the final equipment components are arriving on site.

The R&D pilot plant project at Browns Range will start production of heavy rare earth carbonate in the June quarter, with first product shipments in the September quarter.

The pilot plant is expected to operate for three years initially, with a throughput of 60 000 t/y. This is about 10% of the size of the full-scale development to assess, refine and confirm the optimal flowsheet.

During the three years, the plant is expected to produce 1 719 000 kg of total rare-earth oxide in a mixed rare-earth carbonate containing 148 200 kg of dysprosium.

The pilot plant provides the opportunity to gain production experience, surety of supply for our offtake partner and assess the economic and technical feasibility of the larger full-scale development.