ASX-listed Brazilian Critical Minerals has appointed consultancy Altris Engineering as lead design engineer for the front-end engineering design (FEED) phase of the company's flagship Ema rare earths project, in Brazil.

Altris also led the engineering component of the Ema project's bankable feasibility study (BFS), having developed detailed knowledge of the project's process design, infrastructure requirements, execution strategy, capital costs and development risks.

The FEED appointment represents the next major engineering stage for the Ema project and continues its progression to financing and a final investment decision. Notably, having Altris continue as the lead design engineer for the FEED phase allows for immediate progression into the next engineering phase without having to rebuild project knowledge with another contractor.

Brazilian Critical Minerals confirms the FEED programme has been designed to mature the existing engineering, confirm major equipment selections, further optimise the process plant and infrastructure design, develop procurement packages and further refine the project’s capital cost and implementation schedule.

The completed FEED package is intended to provide the company with a substantially more advanced engineering basis to support project financing, procurement and regulatory approvals, while establishing the technical foundation for subsequent detailed design and construction.

The work will cover the Ema processing facilities from receipt of pregnant leach solution generated by the in-situ recovery wellfield through impurity removal, mixed rare earth carbonate precipitation, dewatering and product load-out.

The FEED will also incorporate ongoing testwork, field investigations and optimisation studies as they become available. A significant component of the FEED programme will be advancing major equipment packages towards procurement.

Altris MD Michael Ehlers comments in-situ recovery of ionic clay rare earths has historically been concentrated in China and parts of Southeast Asia, and Ema is now one of the most advanced projects seeking to establish this type of operation in the Western world.

"Being able to work alongside Brazilian Critical Minerals to develop the engineering for a project that could help establish an entirely new source of rare earth supply is incredibly exciting for our team," he states.

Meanwhile, in transitioning the FEED programme into detailed design, Brazilian Critical Minerals explains detailed engineering and construction documentation will be undertaken by a suitably qualified Brazilian contractor operating within the Brazilian national and regional regulatory frameworks.

Altris will assist the company with the transition of the FEED package to the appointed Brazilian contractor and will provide technical handover and design continuity to preserve the engineering intent established through the BFS and FEED phases.