A Review on Process Mineralogical Characteristics and Current State of Beneficiation Process of Mount Weld Rare Earths Mine in Western Australia

Global interest in securing a supply chain for critical minerals, including rare earth elements, is increasing accordance with the intense promotion of energy transition and electric vehicle industry trend de-sinicization. Australia major resource-rich country 6th largest (RE) reserves world operating Mount Weld mine, highest REE grade mine world. Although beneficiation plant, which performs crushing, desliming, flotation, filtration processes, currently operation, challenges to be solved include ingress significant amounts fine RE minerals from desliming process into tailing low degree liberation such as goethite. Therefore, mineralogy, mineralogical characteristics, current state were investigated. Based on results obtained, potential processes recovering ultra-fine tailings suggested.