REG - Altona Rare Earths - JORC Fluorspar Resource To Include Gallium

Altona Rare EarthsAnnouncement

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RNS Number : 6026Z  Altona Rare Earths PLC  17 September 2025

17 September 2025

 

 

ALTONA RARE EARTHS PLC

("Altona" or the "Company")

 

 

JORC FLUORSPAR RESOURCE TO INCLUDE GALLIUM ESTIMATE

 

Altona Rare Earths PLC (LSE: REE), a resource exploration and development
company focused on critical raw materials in Africa, is pleased to provide an
update on Monte Muambe's fluorspar and gallium drilling and resource estimate
plans.

 

Highlights

·      Metallurgy results on a sample of gallium-bearing fluorspar ore
confirmed that the flotation process will lead to a separation of fluorspar
(in the concentrate) and gallium (in the process tailings), providing a
potential two step pathway to recover both fluorspar and gallium.

·     Considering the affinity between fluorspar and gallium, the planned
JORC Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE"), expected by the end of 2025, will
report both commodities.

·    Drilling of hole MM111, which is expected to intercept both fluorspar
and gallium mineralisation, has started.

·    280 soil samples have been sent to the laboratory in South Africa
for fluorine assays. Results are expected to lead to the discovery of
additional fluorspar resources which will be included in the drilling plan.

 

Gallium Metallurgical Behaviour During Fluorspar Recovery Confirmed

 

Altona is pleased to announce that it has received from SGS Lakefields results
from metallurgical testing of a fluorspar ore sample containing gallium. The
results confirm that during the process of fluorspar recovery by flotation,
gallium is correlated with aluminum (contained in feldspar) and negatively
correlated with fluorspar. This behavior is consistent with the Electronic
MicroProbe Analysis results announced by the Company on 4 September 2025.

 

These results provide further comfort that, during fluorspar recovery via
flotation, gallium will report into the tailings, hence providing a potential
two step pathway to recover both fluorspar and gallium. Gallium recovery from
the fluorspar tailings will be tested as part of advanced metallurgical
studies for the production of commercial grade acid-spar.

 

Fluorspar Resource Definition Strategy Updated to Include Gallium

 

Altona is pleased to announce that, following its announcement of 4 September
2025, the Monte Muambe resource drilling programme has started with hole
MM111. This hole is designed to intersect both high-grade fluorspar ore and
adjacent low-grade fluorspar ore containing gallium, which will help
understand the geometry, size and grade of both fluorspar and gallium
mineralisation.

 

The initial drilling programme of 2,000 meters of diamond and reverse
circulation drilling is designed to support the preparation of a fresh MRE,
provide representative samples for advanced metallurgy, and allow the
gathering of more geological data on associated gallium mineralisation.

 

Considering the proximity between fluorspar mineralisation and gallium
mineralisation, as well as the separation and recovery pathway provided by
mineralogy and metallurgy results obtained so far, the Company is pleased to
announce that, in addition to fluorspar, a gallium MRE will also be reported.

 

The drilling programme is expected to last 2 months with the MRE published by
the end of 2025.

 

Soil Samples Sent for Assay

 

280 soil samples collected earlier this year were sent to SGS South Africa for
fluorine assay. The samples were selected on the basis of their high gallium
content (over 60ppm) as this chemical element has previously proven to be a
reliable pathfinder for fluorspar. The results of these assays are expected to
lead to the discovery of additional fluorspar resources at Monte Muambe.

 

Cédric Simonet, CEO of Altona, commented:

 

"I am very pleased with the progress made in understanding gallium occurrences
at Monte Muambe which allowed us to pinpoint a close geological association
between gallium and fluorspar, but also a pathway to separate both minerals
during fluorspar recovery. The results we have obtained so far now justify
reporting gallium in the upcoming JORC fluorspar MRE. This will allow Altona
to quantify this commodity, and to substantially increase the value of this
asset for the Company's shareholders."

 

This announcement contains information which, prior to its disclosure, was
inside information as stipulated under Regulation 11 of the Market Abuse
(Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310 (as amended).

 

To subscribe for RNS alerts, please visit: https://investors.altonare.com/
(https://investors.altonare.com/)

 

-ends-

 

Altona Rare Earths Plc

Cédric Simonet,
CEO
+44 (0) 7778 866 108

Louise Adrian, CFO
                                         +44 (0)
7721 492 922

 

Strand Hanson Limited (Financial
Adviser)                               +44 (0)
20 7409 3494

Christopher Raggett

Imogen Ellis

 

Oberon Capital (Corporate
Broker)
   +44 (0) 20 3179 5300

Nick Lovering

Adam Pollock

Aimee McCusker

 

About Altona Rare Earths Plc

 

Altona Rare Earths Plc (ticker: REE) is a London Main Market-listed
exploration and development company focused on unlocking the value of critical
raw materials across Africa. The Company is pursuing a diversified strategy,
targeting assets with potential for near-term monetisation alongside long-term
growth.

 

The multi-commodity Monte Muambe Project in northwest Mozambique is a highly
prospective tenement hosting rare earths, fluorspar, and gallium
mineralisation. Since acquiring the project in June 2021, Altona has drilled
over 7,800 metres, delivering a maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate of
13.6Mt at 2.42% TREO, secured a 25-year mining licence (granted December
2024), and published a Competent Person Report and scoping study for the rare
earths component of the project (October 2023). The Company is actively
seeking a strategic downstream rare earths partner to advance the project
through the prefeasibility stage.

 

In parallel, Altona is progressing plans to fast-track the development of
high-grade fluorspar veins identified along the western and southern margins
of Monte Muambe, with a targeted production of 50,000 tonnes per annum of
acid-grade fluorspar over a minimum 12-year mine life. Acid-grade fluorspar is
a key input in a wide range of applications, including hydrofluoric acid and
lithium battery electrolyte production, placing Altona in a strong position to
supply this critical material.

 

The discovery of gallium mineralisation, with grades up to 550 g/t identified
to date, adds further value to Monte Muambe. The Company is undertaking
mineralogical and metallurgical studies to assess the potential for gallium
production.

 

Altona's diversified portfolio also includes the Sesana Copper-Silver Project
in Botswana, strategically located just 25 km from MMG's Khoemacau Zone 5
copper-silver mine. Situated on a recognised regional contact zone for copper
deposits, Sesana represents a compelling exploration opportunity aligned with
Altona's growth strategy.

 

With a unique combination of critical raw materials projects, Altona is well
positioned to contribute to the global supply of highly sought commodities
essential for clean energy, high technology, defence and industrial
applications.

 

The Company and the Board remain actively focused on identifying and
evaluating additional projects that align with our investment profile and
strategic objectives, leveraging our extensive network and combined industry
experience to uncover compelling opportunities that can drive long-term
growth.

 

Competent Person Statement

 

The information in this RNS that relates to geology and exploration results is
based on information compiled and/or reviewed by Cédric Simonet, who is a
Member of European Geologist Federation (Eur. Geol. #739). Cédric Simonet is
the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company. He has sufficient
experience which is relevant to the styles of mineralisation and type of
deposit under consideration and the activity which he is undertaking to
qualify as a Competent Person in terms of the 2012 Edition of the Australian
Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore
Reserves. Cédric Simonet consents to the inclusion in the RNS of the matters
based on his information in the form and contest in which it appears.

 

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