The Project
Australian Rare Earths (AR3) is an explorer of rare earth elements and uranium, with operations across South Australia and Queensland. AR3’s flagship ‘Koppamurra’ project, located in Southeast SA, hosts a rich deposit of ionic clay-hosted rare earths.
Over more than four years, WGA’s multidisciplinary teams played a pivotal role in advancing AR3’s project toward commercial readiness. The process engineering and data analytics teams led early-stage exploration, testwork, and flowsheet development. Their work enabled the integration of WGA’s mechanical, electrical, civil, and structural disciplines, resulting in a comprehensive Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) completed in 2026.
Technical Solutions
WGA’s key contributions included:
- Process Engineering
- Metallurgical Testwork Management: Our teams led bench-scale testwork with leading labs and vendors, assessed multiple processing routes, delivered insights from 200+ leach tests across 12+ processing technologies, and delivered data-backed recommendations for process selection and design.
- Scaled-up testing Design & Operations: We oversaw the design, management, and execution of the scaled-up operations, ensuring alignment with commercial-scale objectives.
- Flowsheet Development: Through planning, management, and interpretation of mineralogical, minerals processing and hydrometallurgical test work, our team guided the creation of a robust processing flowsheet, equipment/technology selection and mass, metal and water balance.
- Financial Investment Support:
- Providing preliminary capital and operating cost estimations, along with complex NPV scenario analysis. These financial insights shaped the processing flowsheet and the basis for the PFS, informing AR3’s investment roadmap.
- Data Analysis:
- Enabling data-driven decision-making by developing a streamlined near real-time Database-to-Dashboard for drill program data, along with an automated quality check system for validation of lab analytical results and an Automated Quality Check System.
Client Focus
Beyond technical delivery, WGA acted as a key integrator among AR3, BML Laboratories, and ANSTO, ensuring consistently clear communication, rapid data consolidation, and agile responses to evolving project needs. Our integrated approach—from upstream exploration data management to front-end engineering and operations—enabled AR3 to move faster, smarter, and with greater confidence.
This collaboration is a testament to WGA’s commitment to building a trusted, long-term partnership with AR3. By embedding ourselves within the project lifecycle, working with a client-first mindset, we were able to support AR3 unlock the complete potential of the Koppamurra project, helping them lay the groundwork for Australia’s rare earths future.
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