Eclipse Metals fires up Greenland rare earths test work amid geopolitical tension
- Doug Bright
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Eclipse Metals (ASX: EPM) has kicked off preliminary metallurgical test work on samples from its Grønnedal rare earths prospect within the company’s Ivigtût project in southwest Greenland, with historic core samples now at ALS Laboratories in Perth for analysis.
The timing of the studies could hardly be better, with global geopolitical tensions rising and attention sharpening on Greenland’s rich endowment of critical metals, pushing projects such as Ivigtût firmly into the spotlight.
With the company’s first batch of samples now in the lab, ALS will initially test the viability of wet, high-intensity magnetic separation to pull valuable magnetic and weakly magnetic minerals from the non-magnetic waste material. That waste often consists of gangue minerals with little or no economic value.
Seven composite samples have been submitted to ALS, each weighing between 1.25 and 4.5kg. The test material was prepared from shallow historic core, viewed as representative of the Grønnedal resource between the surface and 22m depth.
The composite assays already average total rare oxides (TREO) grades of between 2391 parts per million (ppm) and 7514ppm and show a remarkably consistent magnet rare earth oxide (MREO) ratio of 26 to 32 per cent of the total rare earth oxides.
Initial sighter tests on two composites at about 7000 Gauss magnet field strength yielded impressive magnetic mass pulls of 78 per cent and 85.9 per cent.
With detailed assays on each sample split still to come, the next step will be to track exactly where the rare earths separate out to and dial in the magnetic field settings for optimal performance. This early-stage work will then lay down the foundation data needed to fine-tune the processing flowsheet.
Earlier testing showed the deposit’s coarse-grained bastnäsite, synchysite and monazite minerals respond well to a conventional processing route, with metallurgy and metal recoveries closely resembling the proven approach used at MP Materials’ legendary Mountain Pass carbonatite deposit in California.
Eclipse’s Ivigtût project hosts two distinct critical mineral systems. The Grønnedal prospect features a high-grade carbonatite rare earths system with a JORC inferred resource of 89 million tonnes at 6363ppm TREO, dominated by the lucrative magnet rare earths, neodymium and praseodymium.
The two metals are critical to the manufacture of permanent magnets used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbine generators and electronics. The minerals are also accompanied by two other critical metals, niobium and yttrium, which the company believes could be potential by-product credits.
The historic Ivigtût cryolite mine site, about 4km southwest of Grønnedal, makes up the company’s second prospect within its broader Ivigtût project area.
While the old cryolite mine worked a polymetallic fluorine-rich system, the waste-dump assays also report a smorgasbord of metals, including elevated silver, zinc-lead-copper, gallium, lithium and rubidium responses.
The dump also revealed rare-earth-related carbonatitic alteration, which Eclipse believes could offer near-term upside from reprocessing using existing infrastructure.
As well as the historic samples now in Perth, core from Eclipse’ 2025 diamond drilling program is also inbound and expected at ALS’s lab this month for analysis and further metallurgical studies.
The company’s steady march towards rare earths production comes as global attention sharpens on locking in secure, allied supplies of critical minerals.
Adding fuel to the fire, President Trump has repeatedly argued the US should control Greenland to secure its future supply of critical minerals.
Just days ago, Australia also weighed in, flagging antimony, gallium and rare earths as top priorities under a $1.2 billion strategic reserve aimed at strengthening supply chains for defence, renewables and high-tech industries in the face of China’s dominance.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is currently briefing US and G7+ allies in Washington on the initiative, building on recent pacts and discussions to counter vulnerabilities.
These risks were recently highlighted by China’s seizure and subsequent return of a 55-tonne shipment of Australian antimony concentrate from Alkane Resources that was destined for a US defence supplier.
The vessel was held for three months at Ningbo port and released on condition that it return to Australia.
The incident exposed China’s control of transit points and its ability to dominate the critical mineral market by exerting political leverage in response to US restrictions on China’s semiconductor industry, even affecting non-Chinese sourced materials.
With rare earths now a frontline priority in allied nations’ strategies to diversify away from concentrated supply risks - underscored by Australia’s new reserves and ongoing Washington talks - Eclipse’s progress would appear to position the company squarely in the frame for potential strategic partnerships and accelerated development.
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