Axel REE Selects Woolrich as First Field Trial Site for Rare Earth ISR at Caladão

Why It Matters

Successful ISR at Woolrich could validate a low‑cost, modular extraction model for Brazil’s growing rare‑earth sector, accelerating supply of critical magnet materials and enhancing Axel REE’s path to revenue.

Key Takeaways

• Woolrich ISR trial covers ~2 hectares in Brazil’s Caladão project.
• Soluble TREO avg 464 ppm, comparable to Malaysia’s Gerik ISR mine.
• Inferred resource 128 Mt at 1,013 ppm TREO within larger 572 Mt deposit.
• Trial will supply pregnant leach solution to Core Resources for carbonate production.

Pulse Analysis

Brazil’s "Lithium Valley" is rapidly becoming a hub for critical minerals, but rare‑earth supply chains remain dominated by China. In‑situ recovery (ISR) offers a less invasive, lower‑cost alternative to traditional mining, using leach solutions pumped through permeable deposits to dissolve target elements. Axel REE’s selection of the Woolrich deposit marks the first large‑scale ISR experiment for rare earths in the region, positioning Brazil as a potential new source for magnet‑grade materials needed in electric vehicles and wind turbines.

The Woolrich trial focuses on a 2‑hectare zone with favorable geology: low‑relief topography for gravity‑assisted drainage, a lateritic regolith over coarse pegmatitic granite, and fresh bedrock acting as a hydraulic seal. Laboratory leach tests yielded an average soluble TREO concentration of 464 ppm, closely matching the 486 ppm achieved at Malaysia’s Gerik ISR mine, and the deposit hosts an inferred 128 Mt resource at 1,013 ppm TREO. By generating real‑world data on permeability, reagent consumption, and impurity control, Axel REE aims to refine well‑field design and scale the process toward commercial production.

Linking extraction to downstream processing, the pregnant leach solution will be shipped to Core Resources in Australia for conversion into mixed rare‑earth carbonates, a market‑ready product. This end‑to‑end approach reduces reliance on third‑party processors and shortens the value chain, potentially delivering higher margins. If the trial confirms the projected recovery rates, Axel REE could accelerate its path to revenue, attract strategic investors, and contribute to diversifying the global rare‑earth supply away from geopolitical concentration.