Name of the Project
Puławy rare earth separation plant.

Location
Puławy, Poland, at a proposed site next to the Grupa Azoty Puławy fertiliser and chemicals complex.

Project Owner/s
Canadian mineral exploration and development company Mkango Resources.

Project Description
The proposed rare earth separation plant that will process mixed rare-earth carbonate feed into separated rare earth products. The March 2026 prefeasibility study (PFS) evaluated the original design and an expanded case based on 30 000 t/y of mixed rare-earth carbonate feed on a wet basis, with 0%, 50% and 100% neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr) separation options.

The base case assumes the expanded 30 000 t/y feed option with 100% NdPr separation.

The proposed site is intended to benefit from existing infrastructure and logistics, and from operational synergies with Grupa Azoty Puławy for reagents, utilities, by-product sales and operational readiness.

The PFS indicates that project economics improve under the 100% separation of NdPr into individual Nd and Pr products. The plant is expected to operate at an initial feed throughput of 13 430 t/y rare earth oxide capacity. 

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Using Adamas Intelligence base-case rare earth oxide pricing, the PFS estimates an after-tax net present value (NPV) of about $779-million at a 10% nominal discount rate, with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 39.7%, and payback in 2.12 years from full production. Under Adamas upside pricing, the post-tax NPV increases to about $892-million and the IRR to 43.4%.

Capital Expenditure
Initial plant capital expenditure is estimated at about $212-million, including a $35.4-million contingency, for the rare earth separation plant and related infrastructure in Poland. The PFS 25% of capex to be incurred in 2027 and 75% in 2028.

Planned Start/End Date
The PFS expeced engineering to start in April 2026, procurement in September 2026, construction in April 2027, commissioning in October 2028 and production ramp-up in the second quarter of 2029 ending in the first quarter of 2030.

Latest Developments
None stated.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
PRODEO Consulting (design and cost estimation for the Puławy PFS).

Contact Details for Project Information
Mkango Resources CEO William Dawes, tel +1 403 444 5979 or email will@mkango.ca.