Professor Tony Tang has been appointed as an independent reviewer of metallurgical testing, process design and associated studies
2016 AMTEC/ALS TREEs recovery results successfully replicated, confirming eudialyte and mixed concentrate recovery results
Repeatability of 2016 AMTEC laboratory program demonstrated during 2025 test work
Acquisition of a 300~500 kg/hour Proof-of-Concept pilot plant for approximately $2 million completed; Commissioning expected in 2nd quarter 2026
The integration of new high-intensity magnetic separation technology into the Proof-of-Concept Pilot Plant is expected to positively impact project economics and final flowsheet design
50:50 Joint Venture between Critical Metals Corp and Nuclearelectrica Romania will be jointly designed by both parties, based on early concentrate production from the Proof-of-Concept Pilot Plant
NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Critical Metals Corp. (Nasdaq: CRML) (“Critical Metals Corp.” or the “Company”), a leading critical minerals mining company, today announced that AMTEC/ALS’ historic test work has been successfully replicated in the 2025 test work program conducted at the Fremantle Metallurgy laboratories under the supervision of independent consultant Professor Tony Tang. Professor Tony Tang used a duplicate ore sample used in the original 2016 Tanbreez study.
“We are proud to receive more compelling results from our testing work at Tanbreez, which continues to underscore the opportunity for Critical Metals Corp,” said Tony Sage, CEO and Chairman of Critical Metals Corp. “This test work advances our plans for a pilot plant, which is an important milestone in the commercial roadmap for both Tanbreez and the rare earths refinery through our Romanian joint venture. Critical Metals Corp’s integrated mine-to-metals approach positions us as one of the few companies with a fully Western rare earths supply chain, focused on security of supply and strategic independence.”
During the replication of the 2016 metallurgical work completed by ALS/AMTEC, the laboratory team confirmed the original process flow sheet and demonstrated the ability to separate eudialyte, arfvedsonite and feldspar into high-quality concentrates using a dry magnetic separation route. A second phase of the program applied the latest 2025 magnetic recovery technology from a leading global supplier of magnetic separation systems. The multi-stage, multi-roller high-intensity rare earth permanent magnetic circuit, operating at more than 12,000 gauss, achieved an ultra-clean eudialyte final concentrate by further removing residual gangue material and generating a high-quality TREEs (Total Rare Earth Elements) concentrate. In addition, the process produced a secondary mixed concentrate that contained significant BOOMs that could not be recovered with previous generations of technology.
A full metallurgical and elemental analysis of all rare earth elements was performed by two independent laboratories to ensure accuracy, validate results and reduce any laboratory-specific bias.
The successful application of the new high gauss polishing roll technology has now been demonstrated and will be included in the updated process flow diagram. This technology will also be replicated in the larger Proof-of-Concept Pilot Plant currently being purchased by Critical Metals Corp.
The scalable Proof-of-Concept pilot plant is designed to process 300-500 kg of Tanbreez Kakortokite ore per hour, reflecting run-of-mine (ROM) feed conditions and providing design data for the final production plant. The weekly production of 10-ton batches of eudialyte concentrate will serve as pre-production material for offtake partners, allowing them to adapt their refinery circuits from mid-2026. Once concentrate pre-production targets are achieved, the pilot plant in Greenland will be deployed to support the training of Greenland operators and mining students in concentrator and mine operations. Both initiatives are subject to the approval of the Greenland government. Critical Metals Corp is committed to hiring and upskilling local staff as part of its long-term operational strategy.
The Proof-of-Concept Pilot Plant will be a fully scalable facility with crushers, screens, magnetic separators and an on-site analytical laboratory. Critical Metals Corp expects the Proof-of-Concept Pilot Plant to be operational in the second quarter of 2026.
Design data generated by the Proof-of-Concept Pilot Plant, operating at a scale of 1:200, will provide the basis for accurate final plant engineering and eliminate the typical scalability uncertainties that arise in the direct transition from laboratory testing to full-scale design. This approach ensures that the Tanbreez project is designed to operate at a run-of-mine (ROM) feed rate of 100 tonnes per hour, supported by pilot plant performance data collected over at least a full year prior to commissioning the commercial-scale facility.
Critical Metals Corp is committed to providing the highest quality rare earth products to its offtake partners, supported by ongoing collaboration with independent laboratories and independent verification of all metallurgical testing and processing methods.
The updated results and design improvements incorporating the new processing technology will now be integrated into the project’s economic modeling and feasibility study. This work aims to position the Tanbreez project as a leading global source of high-quality rare earth concentrate for the planned joint venture refinery to be developed in Romania by CRML and Nuclearelectrica, near Brașov in central Romania. The resulting concentrate is expected to enable the JV refinery to produce high-purity rare earth salts and metals (with a purity of 99.99% to 99.9995%), as well as advanced materials such as aerospace and defense grade permanent magnets to support NATO and EU supply chain requirements.
The Tanbreez ore is expected to produce a concentrate containing a range of valuable critical minerals including Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, La, Ce and Hf. Several of these elements – particularly the rare earths and certain high-value specialty metal compounds – can command prices ranging from approximately US$300/kg to more than US$26,000/kg, depending on purity and market conditions.
About Critical Metals Corp.
Critical Metals Corp (Nasdaq: CRML) is a leading mining development company focused on critical metals and minerals, producing strategic products essential for electrification and next-generation technologies for Europe and its Western partners. The flagship project, Tanbreez, is one of the world’s largest deposits of rare earths and is located in South Greenland. The deposit is expected to have access to important transportation options as the area offers direct shipping access year-round via deep-water fjords leading directly to the North Atlantic Ocean.
Another important asset is the Wolfsberg Lithium Project in Carinthia, 270 km south of Vienna, Austria. The Wolfsberg Lithium Project is the first fully permitted mine in Europe and is strategically located with access to established road and rail infrastructure. It is expected to be the next major producer of key lithium products that will support the European market. Wolfsberg is well positioned with offtake and downstream partners to become a unique and valuable asset in a growing geostrategic portfolio of critical metals. With this strategic asset portfolio, Critical Metals Corp is positioned to become a reliable and sustainable supplier of critical minerals essential for defense applications, the clean energy transition and next-generation technologies in the Western world.
For more information please visit https://www.criticalmetalscorp.com/ .
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This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements may include expectations of our business and management’s plans and objectives for future operations. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be recognized by the fact that they are not strictly related to historical or current facts. When used in this press release, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “intend,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “goals,” “designed to” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical fact. In addition, all statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements for many reasons, including those discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release, and expectations, forecasts and assumptions as of that date involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required to do so under applicable securities laws.
Critical Metals Corp.
Investor Relations: ir@criticalmetalscorp.com
Media: pr@criticalmetalscorp.com
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