COMMODITIES
Rare Earth Elements
Consulting in Africa
Rare earth element projects need clear geological, mineralogical, and geometallurgical reviews and modeling before they can move from early target review to resource estimation, study work, funding, or development. The focus should be on geo-metallurgical assessment.
Minrom helps exploration companies, mine owners, investors, and project teams assess rare earth element targets, test geological models, review TREO basket composition, plan exploration work, estimate resources, and prepare technical reports.
Our work supports rare earth element projects across African settings, including carbonatite, alkaline igneous, ionic clay, and heavy mineral sand systems.
Why REE Projects Need Early Technical Clarity
Rare earth element projects can look attractive on grade and in the news, but grade doesn’t show the full project picture.
Project teams need to know which elements drive value, how those elements are distributed across the deposit, how mineralogy may affect recovery, and what technical risks need earlier review.
A REE project often needs to answer practical questions such as:
- What does the available data show?
- Which rare earth elements drive the project value?
- Does the geological model match the deposit type?
- Is the TREO grade supported by useful element distribution?
- Are thorium, uranium, or other elements present at levels that need review
- Can the current data support resource estimation?
- What sampling, assay, or test work should happen next?
- Is high temperature high pressure leaching required.
Minrom assist clients in addressing these questions through structured geological and technical work that fits the project stage.
Critical Minerals Minrom Supports
Critical minerals vary by country, policy, supply risk, and industrial use. In Africa, many of these minerals are linked to energy storage, electric vehicles, renewable energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, defence, and industrial supply chains.
Minrom supports a range of critical minerals and related commodities, including:
Rare Earth Elements Minrom Supports
Rare earth elements are a group of 17 metallic elements. They include the lanthanides, from lanthanum to lutetium, with yttrium and scandium often grouped with them in exploration and reporting work.
For project assessment, the individual elements matter. A project with a high TREO grade may still have weak economics if most of the basket consists of lower-value elements. A project with a lower TREO grade may be stronger if it carries a better mix of neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, or yttrium.
Minrom supports REE projects involving:
Light rare earth elements
These include lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, and samarium. Carbonatite and alkaline systems commonly carry light rare earth elements, with project value often linked to the neodymium and praseodymium fraction.
Heavy rare earth elements
These include europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, and yttrium. Heavy rare earth elements can have higher value, but they need careful sampling, assaying, and basket review.
Magnet rare earth elements
Neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium are used in high-performance permanent magnets. For REE projects, these elements often need closer review during technical and economic assessment.
REE deposit types in Africa
Africa hosts several REE project settings. Each one needs a different exploration approach, so Minrom starts with the deposit model.
Carbonatite and Alkaline Igneous Systems
Carbonatite and alkaline igneous systems are common sources of rare earth element mineralisation. These systems can host minerals such as bastnäsite, monazite, and related REE-bearing minerals.
For these projects, Minrom can support:
- Target review
- Geological mapping
- Geophysical data review
- Sampling plans
- Drill programme design
- Mineralogical review
- Geological modelling
- Resource estimation
These projects may need early review of thorium and uranium where they occur with REE-bearing minerals.
Ionic Clay Systems
Ionic clay REE systems form in weathered profiles where rare earth elements attach to clay minerals. These systems can carry useful heavy rare earth element distributions, but they need careful sampling, profile logging, and assay work.
For ionic clay targets, Minrom can support:
- Weathering profile review
- Terrain and regolith assessment
- Sampling design
- Shallow drilling or auger programme planning
- Assay method review
- Element distribution analysis
- Data-gap review
These projects need early technical control over sampling depth, horizon definition, and clay profile continuity.
Heavy Mineral Sand Systems
Some heavy mineral sand projects contain monazite or other REE-bearing minerals as potential by-products. These projects require careful mineralogical and product-quality reviews before the REE value can be assessed.
For heavy mineral sand projects, Minrom can support:
- Mineral assemblage review
- Monazite potential assessment
- Sampling and data review
- Geological modelling input
- Links between mineralogy, grade, and product value
TREO Basket Review and Element Distribution
TREO means Total Rare Earth Oxide. It expresses the combined grade of rare earth oxides in a sample or deposit.
TREO is useful, but it doesn’t show which elements make up the basket. That detail matters because each rare earth element has a different use, price, recovery route, and supply context.
Minrom’s TREO basket review can help clients assess:
- The share of light and heavy rare earth elements
- The neodymium and praseodymium fraction
- Dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium contribution
- Cerium and lanthanum dominance
- Changes in element distribution across the deposit
- Basket sensitivity for technical review
- Sampling or assay gaps that may affect confidence
This gives project teams a clearer view of the project’s technical and value drivers before they move into resource estimation or study work.
Exploration Support for REE Projects
REE exploration needs careful planning because deposit type, mineralogy, assay method, and element distribution can all affect project confidence.
Minrom supports early and advanced REE exploration work through:
- Desktop geological reviews
- Historic data review
- Target generation
- Geological mapping
- Sampling plans
- Drill programme design
- Drill supervision and core logging
- Assay and QA/QC review
- Data-gap reviews
For REE projects, QA/QC needs extra care because assay method, laboratory selection, and certified reference materials can affect the reliability of the result.
Geological Modelling and Resource Estimation
Once a REE project has enough reliable data, geological modelling helps define the shape, controls, and continuity of the mineralised zones.
Minrom builds 3D geological models to help project teams understand how the deposit is interpreted below surface. These models can support drilling decisions, resource estimation, study work, and investor communication.
For REE resource estimation, Minrom can support:
- Data validation
- Geological domaining
- Statistical review
- TREO and individual element review
- Block modelling
- Grade estimation
- Resource classification
- Competent Person review, where required
- Reporting aligned with recognised codes, such as JORC or SAMREC, where applicable
This work helps clients assess how much confidence they can place in the data and what level of reporting the project can support.
Geometallurgical Input for REE Projects
REE projects often need geometallurgical review earlier than other mineral projects because mineralogy affects recovery, processing route, product quality, and waste management.
Geometallurgy links geology with metallurgical behaviour. In simple terms, it helps project teams understand how different ore types may respond during processing.
Minrom’s geometallurgical work can help clients assess:
- REE mineralogy
- Ore-type differences
- Element distribution
- Sample selection for test work
- Recovery potential
- Processing risk
- Thorium or uranium considerations
- Links between geology, grade, and product quality
This helps project teams assess cases where similar TREO grades may perform differently during processing.
Hydrogeology and Water-Related Project Risk
Water can affect exploration, drilling, mine planning, processing, permitting, and future operations. For REE projects, water may also matter where weathered profiles, shallow deposits, site access, or processing routes need earlier review.
Minrom supports hydrogeological work where clients need to assess:
- Groundwater conditions
- Water supply
- Dewatering needs
- Water-related project risk
- Links between geology and groundwater flow
- Inputs for environmental or mining studies
This gives project teams a clearer view of water conditions before they become a planning problem.
Reporting, JORC, and SAMREC Support
REE projects that need funding, public reporting, exchange disclosure, or technical review often need reporting aligned with recognised mineral reporting codes.
Minrom can support clients with technical reports, resource estimation, data review, and Competent Person input where required.
This can include:
- Exploration Results reporting support
- Mineral Resource estimation
- Technical report preparation
- Independent project review
- Data-room support for investors or partners
- JORC or SAMREC-aligned reporting, where applicable
A clean database, sound sampling process, and clear QA/QC framework can reduce later rework when a project moves toward resource estimation or external review.
Technical Study and Project Review Support
As REE projects move beyond early exploration, teams need technical inputs that connect geology with mineralogy, processing, water, reporting, and project risk.
Minrom supports clients with:
- Mining geology
- Geological model updates
- Grade control planning
- Reconciliation support
- Technical study input
- Due diligence support
- Project review
- Ongoing geological support
This helps clients connect exploration work with the next stage of project planning.
How MINROM Works
MINROM follows a clear technical process so clients can see what happens at each stage:
1. Review the
data
The team reviews the available project information, including maps, reports, drilling, assays, geophysics, geochemistry, field data, and previous models.
2. Test the geological model
Minrom assesses the working geological model and checks whether the data supports the interpretation.
3. Identify data gaps
The team identifies gaps that may affect confidence, such as poor spatial coverage, weak QA/QC, limited density data, unclear mineralisation controls, or missing mineralogical information.
4. Plan the next technical step
The next step may be field mapping, sampling, drilling, modelling, resource estimation, geometallurgical work, hydrogeology, or technical reporting.
5. Provide usable technical outputs
Minrom provides outputs that clients can use in project planning, investment discussions, reporting, or internal decision-making.
How MINROM Works
MINROM follows a clear technical process so clients can see what happens at each stage:
1. Review the data
The team reviews maps, reports, drilling, assays, geophysics, geochemistry, field data, previous models, and test work where available
2. Review the deposit model
Minrom assesses whether the working geological model fits the available data and the expected REE deposit type.
3. Review the TREO basket
The team reviews TREO grade, individual element distribution, light and heavy rare earth element split, and key value drivers such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium.
4. Identify data gaps
Minrom identifies gaps that may affect confidence, such as weak spatial coverage, limited QA/QC, poor density data, unclear mineralisation controls, missing mineralogical work, or limited assay support.
5. Plan the next technical step
The next step may be mapping, sampling, drilling, modelling, resource estimation, geometallurgical work, hydrogeology, or technical reporting.
6. Provide usable technical outputs
Minrom provides outputs that clients can use in project planning, investment discussions, reporting, technical review, or internal decision-making.
Who Minrom Works With
Minrom supports clients across the mining and minerals sector, including:
- Junior exploration companies
- Mine owners
- Project developers
- Capital Investors
- Listed companies manufacturing end products
- Government entities
- Mining teams reviewing project or operational risk
Each client group needs technical support for a different reason. Some need to test an early REE target. Others need to support funding, reporting, study work, acquisition review, or operational planning. Minrom can assists at each stage.
Related Services
Exploration Service
Strategy Services
Modelling and GIS Services
Mining Geology Services
Hydrogeology Services
Geology Training Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Rare earth elements are 17 metallic elements used in a range of technologies, including permanent magnets, electronics, medical systems, aerospace, defence, and energy applications. They are not always geologically rare, but they are hard to find in economic concentrations and can be difficult to separate.
Neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium are the main magnet rare earth elements. They are used in high-performance permanent magnets for electric vehicles, wind turbines, industrial motors, and other systems where strength, size, and efficiency matter.
TREO means Total Rare Earth Oxide. It expresses the combined grade of rare earth oxides in a sample or deposit. TREO is useful, but project teams also need to review the individual element mix inside that TREO value.
Basket composition matters because each rare earth element has a different value and use. A project with a high TREO grade may have weaker economics if the basket is dominated by lower-value elements. A project with a lower TREO grade may be stronger if it has a better neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, or yttrium contribution.
No. Minrom supports projects from early desktop review and exploration planning through to geological modelling, TREO basket review, resource estimation, geometallurgy, hydrogeology, mining geology, technical studies, and operational support.
For REE projects, value depends on mineralogy, recovery, element distribution, and processing response. Geometallurgical input helps project teams link geology with recovery, product quality, processing risk, and project planning.
A REE project may need JORC or SAMREC reporting when it moves toward public disclosure, exchange reporting, resource estimation, funding, due diligence, or external technical review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Critical minerals are minerals and metals that countries identify as economically or strategically important. The list can change by country, market use, supply risk, and policy goals.
Minrom supports projects involving platinum group metals, manganese, vanadium, lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper, rare earth elements, titanium, fluorspar, zirconium, and selected industrial minerals.
No. Minrom supports projects from early desktop review and exploration planning through to geological modelling, resource estimation, hydrogeology, mining geology, technical studies, and operational support.
Geological modelling helps show the shape, position, and continuity of mineralisation below surface. This helps project teams plan drilling, estimate resources, review risk, and communicate the project more clearly.
Geometallurgical modelling is the integration of geological, mineralogical, and metallurgical data into a spatial model that predicts how ore will behave during processing across different domains of the deposit. It enables mine planners to anticipate variability in recovery, throughput, and reagent consumption and to schedule ore types that optimise plant performance and project economics.
Resource estimation uses geological, drilling, sampling, assay, and density data to estimate the amount and grade of mineralised material in a project area. The estimate must match the quality and spacing of the available data.
For many critical minerals, value depends on mineralogy and processing response, not grade alone. Geometallurgical input helps project teams link geology with recovery, product quality, and processing risk.