Critica Limited upgrades 160 Mt of WA rare earths to indicated resource

The update follows an infill drilling campaign that raised 10% of the Jupiter deposit to a higher confidence level.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:07:03 GMT

What happened

Critica Limited announced that its Jupiter rare earths project in Western Australia now includes a maiden indicated resource of 160 million tonnes grading 1,700 ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO), based on an update prepared by independent consultant SRK Consulting.

What the reports add

The indicated portion represents 10 % of what Critica describes as the nation’s largest clay‑hosted rare earths resource, with the remaining 90 % still classified as inferred.
The total inventory of the Jupiter deposit is about 1.7 billion tonnes at the same 1,700 ppm TREO grade, comprising 160 million tonnes indicated and 1.5 billion tonnes inferred.
Infill drilling was carried out on a 125 m × 125 m grid across 3.3 km² of the project’s 42‑km² footprint, providing the confidence needed to upgrade the resource.
For the updated estimate, a 1,000 ppm TREO lower cut‑off was applied, which Critica says is more conservative than many peer projects.
Magnet rare earth oxides (MREO) – neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium – account for 25 % of the total rare earths in the indicated resource, at a grade of 420 ppm.
The Jupiter scoping study is underway, with Sedgman engaged to conduct the initial study and prefeasibility work planned thereafter, including flora and fauna, cultural heritage, groundwater, water bores and further resource‑definition drilling.
The deposit lies less than 10 km from the sealed Geraldton–Mount Magnet Road, about 250 km from Geraldton’s port, and the Mid‑West gas pipeline runs alongside the road.

What was said

“The delivery of Jupiter’s first Indicated Mineral Resource is an important milestone and demonstrates the effectiveness of the targeted infill drilling completed over the past year,”

— Jacob Deysel, chief executive officer, Critica Limited, SMH

“The results provide increased confidence in the geological and grade continuity of the infill‑drilled area, while the vast majority of the Jupiter resource remains classified as Inferred,”

— Jacob Deysel, chief executive officer, Critica Limited, SMH

How it came about

The upgrade follows a targeted infill drilling campaign that began over the past year, employing a tighter 125 m × 125 m grid to test grade continuity across a 3.3 km² area of the larger 42‑km² resource footprint. The campaign’s results gave Critica sufficient confidence to reclassify that portion from inferred to indicated status, marking the first time any part of the Jupiter deposit has entered the indicated category and moving the company toward a developer role.

Key facts

Critica Limited announced a maiden indicated resource of 160 million tonnes grading 1,700 ppm TREO at the Jupiter project. (smh.com.au)
The upgrade resulted from infill drilling on a 125 m × 125 m grid covering 3.3 km² of the 42 km² footprint. (smh.com.au)
The total resource inventory is about 1.7 billion tonnes at the same grade, with the remainder still classified as inferred. (smh.com.au)
The update was prepared by independent consultant SRK Consulting. (smh.com.au)
The Jupiter project is situated near Mount Magnet in Western Australia. (smh.com.au)