Eclipse Metals Limited (EPM.AX) Gronnedal Testwork Supports NdPr Beneficiation Pathway

Perth, Sep 3, 2026 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Eclipse Metals Limited (ASX:EPM) (9EU:FRA) (EPMFF:OTCMKTS) has announced highly encouraging results from quantitative automated mineralogical analysis completed by ALS Metallurgy on four composite samples from the Ivigtut Project in southwest Greenland.

The study represents an important step in defining a potential beneficiation pathway for the Project's rare earth mineralisation. The results indicate that the value-driving neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr) are predominantly hosted in identified REE-bearing mineral groups rather than being diffusely distributed through the surrounding gangue.

Highlights

- Quantitative automated mineralogy completed by ALS Metallurgy indicates that 87.5% to 94.3% of contained neodymium and praseodymium is hosted in identified REEbearing mineral groups across the four submitted composite samples.

- Between 77.2% and 92.6% of NdPr is hosted in the two principal REE mineral groups to be evaluated in flotation test work: REE fluorocarbonates and REE carbonates.

- The principal REE mineral assemblage is interpreted as being dominated by synchysite and calcioancylite-type minerals, with subordinate bastnasite, parisite, monazite and xenotime.

- At the tested grind, 63-75% of the REE fluorocarbonates and 61-79% of the REE carbonates have at least 30% exposed mineral surface, providing a favourable basis for testing their flotation response.

- Locked material comprises 5.6-8.0% of REE fluorocarbonates and 3.8-13.4% of REE carbonates at the tested grind.

- The work has identified the principal processing objective-selective rejection of carbonate gangue-and provides a clear basis for targeted rougher, cleaner, regrind and reagent-optimisation test work. The reported percentages describe mineralogical deportment and surface exposure; they are not flotation recoveries or concentrate grades.

Executive Chairman Carl Popal said:

"These results are encouraging because they indicate that the value-driving NdPr is hosted in identified REE-bearing mineral groups with meaningful surface exposure, rather than being widely dispersed through the gangue. With between 87.5% and 94.3% of NdPr hosted in identified REE-bearing mineral groups across the four composites, we now have a sound mineralogical basis for the next phase of metallurgical development. Our focus will be to convert this mineralogical opportunity into measured flotation recovery and concentrate grade."

Gronnedal Project

Gronnedal is an extensive carbonatite-hosted rare earth element system within the Proterozoic Gronnedal-Ika Complex. The Project is located within Eclipse's Ivigtut multi-commodity critical minerals project, near established maritime infrastructure and deep-water access in southwest Greenland, subject to future infrastructure assessment and permitting.

The current Gronnedal Mineral Resource Estimate is 208 Mt at 0.72% TREO, comprising approximately 6 Mt Indicated and 202 Mt Inferred, reported at a 2,000 ppm TREO cut-off. The updated MRE, announced on 29 April 2026, contains approximately 1.5 Mt TREO, including approximately 456,000 tonnes of Nd2O3 and Pr2O3, and provides the foundation for continuing exploration, mineralogical and metallurgical programs. (Refer ASX announcement 29 April 2026).

Gronnedal is located in southwest Greenland, a jurisdiction attracting increasing interest as European and North American governments and industry seek more diversified critical-mineral supply chains. Eclipse considers the Project's scale, magnet rare-earth inventory and proximity to established maritime infrastructure relevant to these evolving supply-chain priorities.

Mineralogical Test Work

Detailed mineralogical test work was completed by ALS Metallurgy in Western Australia. Four composite samples were formed from core obtained from the 2025 resource-definition drilling program (Table 1, Figure 2*).

The samples were submitted for size-by-size mineralogical analysis by TIMA (TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer) and XRD (X-ray diffraction). Analysis was performed by TIMA using the Liberation Analysis via High Resolution Mapping (LA-HRM) scan type @ 25 kV at extended counts aimed at detecting more REE elements (6000 counts vs standard 1000 counts). The Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) spectra collected under automation were compared to a phase classification library and grouped into mineral lists developed for these samples. The cumulative X-ray spectra for selected key minerals sub-groups were extracted based on hundreds of pixels collected under automation during TIMA analysis (e.g. at LA mode). These cumulative spectra were then exported to TIMA spectrum tool to obtain semi-quantitative compositions for the mineral lists.

Sub-samples of the finest fraction were analysed using X-ray diffraction to assist with mineral characterisation.

Beneficiation Results

Eclipse has engaged Tetra Tech to support test work and develop a process design for recovery of critical minerals. Early ALS testing indicates strong potential for upgrading the ore through physical separation before leaching.

Initial density-based testing suggests low-grade silicates below 3.1 SG can be removed while retaining approximately 75% to 90% of the total rare earth elements (TREE), with an upgrade factor of 1.1 to 2.3 (Figure 3*).

Magnetic separation also shows promise for removing ferrous minerals with relatively low TREE content. Early results showed a 12% mass rejection, with a modest upgrade factor of 1.1, and removal of about 19% of total iron, which could reduce downstream leaching costs (Figure 4*). Critical minerals like strontium and gallium also follow the same trend as the TREEs giving promise to additional products. There is also potential to improve performance further by optimising magnetic strength and operating parameters. Because approximately 97% of the silicates are non-magnetic, these steps can be applied in series.

Based on Composite 2 results, the combined density and magnetic steps could remove 39% of total mass while recovering about 70% of the TREEs, producing an upgrade factor of 1.3 and a final concentration of approximately 12,700 ppm TREEs. Critical minerals such as strontium and gallium also follow a similar trend to the TREEs, suggesting potential for additional byproduct recovery.

Although further testing is required, the initial results are encouraging. The next phase of work will evaluate flotation to determine whether reagents can selectively remove additional impurities and further concentrate the ore. Following this, a single sample will be processed through the full test sequence to generate a rough concentrate for leaching trials, which will help define overall recovery.

Mineralogical Results

Across the four composites, between 77.2% and 92.6% of combined NdPr is hosted in REE fluorocarbonate and REE carbonate minerals. When the subordinate monazite and xenotime phases are included, between 87.5% and 94.3% of contained NdPr is hosted in identified REEbearing mineral groups.

The dominant REE minerals are interpreted to comprise synchysite-rich fluorocarbonates and calcioancylite-type REE carbonates. These minerals represent clearly defined targets for the next phase of flotation and hydrometallurgical test work.

Liberation analysis also returned encouraging results. At sample P80 values of approximately 102-107 um, between 63.3% and 75.3% of the REE fluorocarbonate mineral mass and between 61.1% and 79.1% of the REE carbonate mineral mass occurs in particles classified as having at least 30% target-mineral surface area. The locked fraction, defined as particles containing less than 10% target-mineral surface area, represents 5.6-8.0% of the REE fluorocarbonates and 3.8-13.4% of the REE carbonates (Table 2*).

Surface-association data further indicate that the two principal REE mineral groups preferentially occur together. Both groups have approximately 36-47% free surface, with the principal remaining association commonly being with the complementary REE mineral group rather than silicate gangue. This provides a sound mineralogical rationale for test work evaluating a combined REE mineral concentrate.

Next steps

The next-stage program includes:

- Rougher and scavenger flotation screening across collector, depressant, pH and conditioning regimes.

- Cleaner flotation and selective regrind tests to improve concentrate grade.

- Targeted rejection of siderite, calcite, strontianite and apatite.

- Assessment of magnetic removal of magnetite and hematite where relevant.

- Hydrometallurgical testing of the resulting REE concentrate.

- LA-ICP-MS and Raman confirmation of the interpreted synchysite, calcioancylite and associated REE phase compositions.

*To view tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/J4E1A53N

About Eclipse Metals Limited

Eclipse Metals Ltd (ASX:EPM) is an Australian exploration company focused on exploring southwestern Greenland, Australia's Northern Territory and state of Queensland for multi-commodity mineralisation. Eclipse has an impressive portfolio of assets prospective for cryolite, fluorite, siderite, quartz (high-purity silica), rare earths, gold, platinum group metals, manganese, palladium and vanadium mineralisation. The Company's mission is to increase shareholders' wealth through capital growth and ultimately dividends. Eclipse plans to achieve this goal by exploring for and developing viable mineral deposits to generate mining or joint venture incomes. 

 

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