Australian Rare Earths : 104% increase in Mineral Resource at Koppamurra project

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Monday, 4 July 2022

Koppamurra emerges as a globally significant critical rare earths project with 104% increase in Mineral Resource

Expanded Mineral Resource inventory, which includes more than 50% in the Indicated Resource category, paves way for strategic discussions with critical minerals end-users

Highlights

• JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Koppamurra clay-hosted rare earths project, located on the South Australian-Victorian border, increases by 104% to 81.4Mt at 785ppm TREO(total rare earth oxide)
• This includes an initial Indicated Resource of 45Mt at 835ppm TREO
• The updated Mineral Resource estimate, which is more than double the initial Mineral Resource posted in April 2021, is considered a key milestone because it demonstrates that AR3 is well on the path to establishing a world-scale inventory at Koppamurra
• TREO Grade of the Indicated Resource is 15% higher than the initial Inferred Resource published in April 2021 of 725ppm
• Adjoining Exploration Targets highlight scope for further substantial resource growth
• Koppamurra is well placed to capitalise on the sizeable forecast growth in demand for sources of rare earths
• Koppamurra has all four of the key rare earth elements required to make high-strength permanent magnets needed for EV motors and wind turbines
• As an ionic clay deposit, Koppamurra stands to be very cost-competitive
• Next key steps include:
  o A drilling program of 10-20,000m scheduled to commence in Q3 2022, aimed at further growing the resource footprint and converting existing Resources to Measured Resources
  o Economic studies and evaluation of downstream processing opportunities o Environmental studies focusing on groundwater and flora-fauna
  o Completion of laboratory scale metallurgical testwork in preparation for pilot plant tests
  o Achieving first production in 2025/26 to capitalise on strong forecast growth in demand for new, non-Chinese sources of vital rare earths from the global EV and wind turbine industries

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Australian Rare Earths Limited ASX: AR3is pleased to advise that its strategy to establish a globally significant, long-life rare earths business at its 100%-owned Koppamurra Project in South Australia- Victoria has taken a pivotal step forward with a substantial increase in the Mineral Resource Estimate.

This outstanding result also opens the door for the Company to commence strategic discussions with end-users and government representatives related to potential development, downstream processing, funding, and off-take arrangements.

The Company has completed two significant drilling programs since October 2021, establishing the potential for the Koppamurra deposit as a shallow, low cost, long-life resource.

The consistent nature of the deposit enables expedient drilling and rapid Resource growth as well as the ability to undertake progressive rehabilitation, all of which continues to distinguish Koppamurra as a unique rare earth business opportunity.

Australian Rare Earths Managing Director Don Hyma said: "This outstanding result is a game- changer because it elevates Koppamurra to the stage where its future as a significant project is now clear. Koppamurra is one of only three advanced ionic clay-hosted rare earth deposits outside China/Myanmar, and it is now emerging as a project of both scale and quality.

"Its key attributes include its Tier-1 jurisdiction location, a rare earth element suite that offers the potential to supply both the light and heavy rare earths required for high-strength permanent magnets, the shallow, free-digging nature of the mineralisation and a low-CAPEX development pathway that offers the potential for a modular, staged approach.

"Significantly, the updated Mineral Resource and adjoining Exploration Targets are based on just 5 per cent of our exploration tenure, highlighting the potential for what could become a generational- sized deposit.

"This exceptional result is a credit to our team for the outstanding work they have done to advance Koppamurra so rapidly to this point. The inclusive and proactive approach we have adopted to engagement with our key stakeholders is fundamental to the way we work, and in particular I would like to acknowledge the support of the local communities and landowners during the recent drilling programs.

"We will now continue drilling to grow the resource in parallel with ongoing technical and metallurgical studies with the aim of advancing Koppamurra towards development as a new critical minerals project in south-eastern Australia.

"Our vision is to progress down a pathway that will see Koppamurra in production by 2025/26, perfectly timed to take advantage of surging demand for rare earths.

"Demand for Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) high-strength permanent magnets in EV's and wind turbine generators is the key demand driver for the four key rare earth elements contained in the Koppamurra Resource - Neodymium, Praseodymium, Dysprosium and Terbium.

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"Shortages of NdFeB are forecast as early as 2023, with the global market almost totally reliant on supply from China. Koppamurra is ideally placed to capitalise on the strong forecast growth in demand by building a new source of critical rare earths for the burgeoning global EV and wind turbine industries.

"Importantly, this landmark resource update and the ongoing work we are undertaking to confirm the viability of the Koppamurra Project gives us added confidence in our discussions with potential strategic downstream partners."

The updated June 2022 Mineral Resource estimate is set out in the table below, together with the Exploration Target for the extensional areas:

Koppamurra Mineral Resource Estimate - July 2022

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	JORC	Tonnes	TREO
	Category	Mt	ppm
	Indicated	45	835
	Inferred	36	721
	Total	81	785
	Exploration	90-220	629-
	Target1	849
	April 2021 Initial Resource
	Inferred	39.9	725

Magnet Rare Earths

	Pr6O11	Nd2O3			Tb4O7	Dy2O3
	ppm	% TREO	ppm	% TREO		ppm	% TREO	ppm		% TREO
37	4.4	142	17		4	0.5	22		2.6
32	4.4	122	17		3	0.5	19		2.6
34	4.4	133	17		4	0.5	21		2.6
29-41	4.6-4.8	110-	17-18		3-4	0.5-0.5	16-22		2.5-2.6
150
32	4.4	124.6	17.2		3.5	0.5	19.2		2.6

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Mineral Resources reported at a cut-off grade of 325 ppm TREO-CeO2, consistent with the previous MRE.

1 - The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. Further exploration is required to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.

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Quality TREO Deposit in Tier-1 Location

Koppamurra is located in South Australia, home to world-class mining operations and recognised as a Tier-1 jurisdiction for innovation and resources development.

Figure 1 - Koppamurra Rare Earths Project Location

The updated Mineral Resource Estimate incorporates the results from two completed drilling programs announced to the ASX inFebruary 2022andApril 2022, which also highlighted a ~30% increase in dry bulk density (1.40 to 1.78 t/m3), a potential 6km northerly and 2km southerly

onlyextension to the initial April 2021 Mineral Resource, and record grades of up to 15,500ppm TREO. The overall program added 21,400m (2,057 holes) to the existing 4,785m (670 holes) drilled for the Maiden Inferred Resource Estimate announced inApril 2021.

Interpretation of geological samples and chemical assay data using relevant industry standard methods resulted in a significant increase in overall resource tonnes, including the delivery of the first JORC Indicated Resource for the project.

The evaluation also revealed the potential for regional extension with an Exploration Target of 90 to use220Mt subject to additional drilling. Note: The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature, as there has been insufficient exploration undertaken to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.

The drilling which informs the Exploration Target is at line spacings of at least 1km, and sometimes 2km apart. Drill-holespacings along the lines are typically at 100m to 200m apart. Land access agreements in place over sections of the Exploration Target areas will allow for additional drilling to

be undertaken there over the next 12 months.

personalThe overall TREO grade was slightly increased with a consistent distribution of magnet rare earths, importantly for the sought-afterheavy rare earths. There was a notable increase in grade for the

areas pertaining to closer space drilling in support of the maiden Indicated Resource.

Figure 2 - RC/air-coredrilling in progress on site For

Figure 3 - Push Tube/core drilling in progress