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Australia

Browns Range Project

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Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit & Underground
Study CompletedFeasibility
StagePermitting
Commodities
  • REE
  • Dysprosium
  • Terbium
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
  • Longhole open stoping
  • Sub-level caving
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SnapshotThe Browns Range Project’s deposits are uniquely rich in the heavy rare earth elements dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb).

In September 2025, Northern Minerals completed the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the commercial-scale development of the Browns Range Heavy Rare Earths Project. This DFS is based on mining and processing of the Wolverine deposit and Browns Range Pilot Plant (BRPP) Stockpiles Mineral Resources.

Northern Minerals constructed, commissioned and operated the Browns Range Pilot Plant from 2017 to 2021, producing and selling to international markets ~1,000 tonnes of Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate. The existing BRPP stockpile at site, that has not been depleted to account for pilot plant processing, will be reclaimed and fed to the new process plant.

All key primary approvals received, native title agreements in place and Browns Range project critical tenure granted.
Latest NewsNorthern Minerals Ltd.: Funding secured to advance Browns Range     October 28, 2025

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Northern Minerals Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Northern Minerals Limited owns 100% of the Browns Range Heavy Rare Earths Project.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Unconformity related

Summary:

The Browns Range (BRM) deposits including Wolverine are unconformity related HREE style deposits. They are located on the western side of the Browns Range Dome, a Paleoproterozoic dome formed by a granitic core intruding the Paleoproterozoic Browns Range Metamorphics (meta-arkoses, feldspathic meta-sandstones, and schists) and an Archaean orthogneiss and schist unit to the south. The dome and its aureole of metamorphics are surrounded by the Mesoproterozoic Gardiner Sandstone (Birrindudu Group). The Browns Range xenotime mineralisation is typically hosted in hydrothermal quartz and hematite veins and breccias within the meta-arkoses of the Archaean Browns Range Metamorphics. Various alteration styles and intensities have been observed; namely silicification, sericitization and kaolinite alteration.

Local Geology
The Browns Range project area lies in the northwest Tanami Region, straddling the border of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The local geology consists of deformed volcano-sedimentary basement rocks of the Browns Range Metamorphics (BRM). These may be part of the Proterozoic Tanami Group 1885-1865 Ma or possibly an older Archean sequence 3000-2500 Ma.

The BRM has been intruded by the Browns Range Dome (BRD) granite consisting of plutons of the Frederick and Grimwade suites 1820 1790 Ma. A sequence of mafic-ultramafic rocks also intrudes the BRM.

The entirety is overlain unconformably and non-conformably by the minimally deformed Gardiner Sandstone, Birrindudu Group, 1735-1640 Ma.

Wolverine Deposit Geology
The Wolverine deposit is hosted in metasedimentary units of the BRM consisting primarily of metamorphosed siltstone, arenaceous units, and foliated conglomeratic units. The structural setting is moderately complex and a primary control on the hydrothermal system and related REE mineralisation. The Wolverine deposit is associated with a breccia-hosted hydrothermal system, which largely lies below a cover of transported clays, sand and gravels varying between 1 m to 10 m in thickness. Below this cover is an intensely weathered zone of mottled kaolinitic arenite, usually 1 m to 5 m thick.

The dominant REE mineralisation is xenotime. The host rocks in the mineralised zone are silicified and brecciated along a structural zone with hematite and sericite alteration associated with the hydrothermal event.

Additional REE minerals recognised to date are the light REE dominated florencite-goyazite series. These minerals comprise a minor but important component of the REE mineralisation relative to xenotime.

The primary structural control on the hydrothermal system at Wolverine occurs at the intersection of two steeply dipping fault orientations, the Hamster -Capybara faults and the Kurts Cut-off fault. The hydrothermal fluid pathway is focused on the intersection of the fault orientations, which plunges steeply west. The deposit is oriented east-west and dips steeply north, extending over 400 m in strike, up to 40 m in width, and over 550 m in depth from surface outcrop, remaining open at depth.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
REE Oxide in concentrate t 4,35045,000
REE Concentrate kt 18181

Operational metrics

Metrics
Hourly processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Stripping ratio OP  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Total tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2025 study.

Production Costs

CommodityAverage
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Total Rare Earth Oxides  ....  Subscribe
C1 cash costs Total Rare Earth Oxides  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Dy2O3  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Terbium  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Total Rare Earth Oxides  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2025 study / presentation.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Sustaining CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Closure costs $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Gross revenue (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
EBITDA (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 8% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

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Workforce

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