Nolans NdPr Project by Arafura Rare Earths: status and timeline

Milestones

Next · First production of rare-earth oxides

Final Investment Decision (FID)May 2026Complete.
Construction beginsQ3 2026Complete.
First production of rare-earth oxidesTarget Q3 2029Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Arafura begins Nolans construction following successful FID with 30-month development scheduleSep 2026
Arafura Rare Earths reaches Final Investment Decision on Nolans, raising AUD 375 million equityMay 2026

Upcoming

Q2 2029Construction phase completion (next)
Q3 2029First production of rare-earth oxides

Current obstacles

Water supply and Aboriginal engagementCentral Australia is water-scarce; site is culturally significant.
Large capital project executionComplex mining projects face delays and cost overruns.

Physics limits

Remote locationThe deposit is in central Australia, far from ports and infrastructure. Transport costs and supply-chain logistics are higher than coastal alternatives.
Water availabilityRare-earth refining is water-intensive. Central Australia's arid climate limits water availability, requiring recycling systems and long-term water rights agreements.
Radioactive elementsCarbonatite ores often contain thorium. Processing and waste handling add regulatory complexity and cost.

How it works

3 parts

Carbonatite ore

Rare-earth rich deposit

Nolans is a carbonatite where rare earths are primary ore minerals (bastnäsite and monazite), making extraction more efficient than from complex mineral sands.

On-site processing

Integrated refinery

Ore is crushed and processed through hydrochloric acid leaching, precipitation and solvent extraction on site to produce rare-earth oxides at 99.9% purity.

Market supply

Direct to magnet makers

Refined oxides are shipped directly to permanent-magnet manufacturers, bypassing overseas refining and reducing supply-chain risk.

Spec sheet

Spec	Nolans NdPr Project
Location	Nolans, Northern Territory, Australia^R (reported)
Total project capex	~US$1.5 billion^R (reported)
Equity capital raised (FID)	AUD 375 million^R (reported)
Share of global rare-earth supply	4-5%^R (reported)
Primary products	Neodymium and praseodymium oxides^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Sep 2026

Minor: Arafura begins Nolans construction following successful FID with 30-month development schedulePressTest

May 2026

Major: Arafura Rare Earths reaches Final Investment Decision on Nolans, raising AUD 375 million equityPressFunding

About Arafura Rare Earths

The team behind Nolans NdPr Project

Arafura Rare Earths

NdPr, neodymium, praseodymium, rare-earth mining and refining

Arafura Rare Earths is developing the Nolans integrated mine and refinery in the Northern Territory, aimed at producing neodymium and praseodymium oxides for permanent magnets.

Nolans targets 4-5% of global rare-earth supply.
FID May 2026 with AUD 375M institutional placement and A$430M government/export-credit backing.
Construction began September 2026; first production targeted mid-to-late 2029.

arultd.com (opens arultd.com)Company profile →

Founded: 199729 yrs
Headquarters: Australia
Status: Public
Valuation: public
Raised: $280M1 round
Last round: Equity (FID) · $280MMay 2026
Works in: MaterialsLithium & critical minerals
Coverage: 1 program · 2 updateslatest 1 Sep 2026checked 11 Oct
Lead investors: Australian government
Partners: Australian Government (opens arultd.com)
Investors: German development bank (KfW) (opens arultd.com)

Spec

Nolans NdPr Project

Location

Nolans, Northern Territory, Australia^R (reported)

Total project capex

~US$1.5 billion^R (reported)

Equity capital raised (FID)

AUD 375 million^R (reported)

Share of global rare-earth supply

4-5%^R (reported)

Primary products

Neodymium and praseodymium oxides^R (reported)