Sydney Mining Club Lunchtime forum - Building a Strategic Australia–US Rare Earths Supply Chain
On Thursday 5 February, the Sydney Mining Club will host Mark Chalmers, President and CEO of Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE: UUUU), alongside Tiger Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Astron Corporation (ASX: ATR), for a lunch examining 'one of the most strategically significant critical minerals projects currently under development in Australia'.
Energy Fuels and Astron are joint venture partners in the Donald Rare Earth and Mineral Sands Project (DMS) in Victoria’s Wimmera region, a project widely regarded as one of the world’s best near-term sources of rare earth elements outside China. In June 2025, the project received its final major regulatory approval, clearing the path toward financing and a Final Investment Decision.
The Donald Project hosts a large-scale JORC Mineral Resource of 2.6 Bt @ 4.6% heavy minerals, supported by a high-value assemblage of 18.1% zircon, 8.3% rutile, 30.3% ilmenite, 18.8% leucoxene and 1.8% monazite. Of particular significance is the monazite and xenotime-rich rare earth concentrate, which provides the feedstock for the production of neodymium-praseodymium and other mid and heavy rare earth oxides.
Under the joint venture, Energy Fuels has the right to invest up to A$183 million, plus US$17.5 million in equity, to earn up to a 49% interest in the project. All rare earth concentrate will be sold to Energy Fuels and processed at the company’s White Mesa Mill in Utah, the only fully licensed conventional rare earth processing facility in the United States, supplying critical materials for clean energy, defence and advanced manufacturing.
Astron will market the project’s titanium and zircon mineral sands to global customers, while profits will be shared according to ownership interests. Phase 1 production is targeted to commence as early as 2026, delivering 7,000–8,000 tpa of rare earth concentrate with expansion potential providing long-term supply for decades.
Mark Chalmers and Tiger Brown will discuss the strategic importance of Donald, the development pathway ahead and the role of Australia in supplying secure, allied rare earths to global markets.
Lunch will be served from midday, followed by presentations and Q&A.
