Meteoric Resources' rare earth pilot plant exempted from nuclear regulation

The National Nuclear Safety Authority (ANSN) has classified the Meteoric Resources pilot plant in Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, as exempt from regulatory control. The decision follows an inspection on June 16 and subsequent evaluations of chemical and radiometric analyses, as well as gamma radiation exposure measurements.

According to the ANSN, the facility was granted exemption because total activity concentrations were below 10 Bq/g in all samples, meeting the criteria of Standard ANSN 4.01. The site houses a laboratory and pilot plant dedicated to mineral processing studies for Project Caldeira, a rare earth enterprise.

The facility, which represents Brazil’s first rare earth processing center, received a US$1.5 million investment. It is designed to transform ionic clay into mixed rare earth carbonate with an annual capacity of 500 kg. The unit serves to conduct continuous testing and consolidate industrial procedures based on mineral research samples.