Arafura Resources

Arafura Resources has secured project financing of around US$1.6 billion plus US$462 million of completion support and will start construction next month on the Nolans rare earths project in the Northern Territory. Phase 1 targets annual production of 4,400 tonnes of NdPr and 144,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid; Phase 2 aims for 10,000 tonnes of NdPr. The project is positioned as Australia’s first ore-to-oxide processing plant, has broad government and export credit support from multiple countries, and seeks to offer an alternative to the Chinese supply chain. Management continues to flag execution risks but expects the stock to be re-rated once construction milestones are reached. » More on de.investing.com

The federal government will provide up to €50 million through the raw materials fund for Arafura Rare Earths’ Nolans project to strengthen supply of critical rare earths such as neodymium and praseodymium. The project is expected to produce around 4,400 tonnes annually in the long term and could cover five to ten percent of global demand; offtake guarantees exist with Siemens Gamesa, Hyundai and Kia, among others. Critics point to high water consumption, risks from radioactive residues and limited local employment effects; mining sites are on indigenous communities’ land and there are no known binding commitments from Arafura. » More on n-tv.de

Arafura Resources reports cash increasing from AUD 90m to AUD 570m after a successful private placement and operational progress. The company is advancing the Nolans project with a unique processing approach and is targeting a final investment decision (FID) by the end of the second quarter. Total financing need is $1.6bn, remaining financing required $134m; cash burn around AUD 2m per month. Despite the improved liquidity, the share price fell 7.55% to $0.265, while NdPr prices have risen by more than 80% year‑on‑year. » More on de.investing.com