St George Mining Extends REalloys Alliance for Araxá Rare Earths
1/26/2026, 12:05:49 PM | United States | South America
St George Mining (ASX:SGQ) has extended its strategic alliance with US-based REalloys to advance offtake deals for high-grade rare earths from the Araxá Project, alongside strong drilling results expanding mineralization and signaling a potential resource upgrade.
St George Mining has made significant strides in its rare earths ambitions with the recent extension of its strategic alliance with REalloys, a key US supplier of magnet materials to government agencies and industrial partners. Originally announced in September 2025, this partnership has been prolonged for up to one year, providing ample time for detailed metallurgical testing on rare earth oxalate samples from the flagship Araxá Project in Brazil's Minas Gerais state. The primary goal is to optimize processing flowsheets tailored for REalloys' magnet production needs, potentially leading to a long-term offtake agreement covering up to 40% of Araxá's future production.
The Araxá deposit stands out as the largest and highest-grade carbonatite-hosted rare earths resource in South America, boasting a JORC-compliant resource of 40.6 million tonnes at 4.13% total rare earth oxides (TREO). Notably, magnet-critical elements like neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) constitute over 20% of the TREO, complemented by valuable heavy rare earths such as samarium and dysprosium. This composition positions Araxá as a strategic asset in the global push to diversify supply chains away from traditional dominant sources, particularly aligning with North American efforts to secure domestic processing and manufacturing capabilities.
Complementing these commercial developments, St George has reported impressive drilling results that extend high-grade rare earth and niobium mineralization beyond the current resource boundaries. Recent diamond drill holes have intersected thick zones, including near-surface high-grade niobium and broad rare earth intervals, boosting prospects for a resource upgrade expected before the end of March. These findings highlight an emerging high-grade zone northwest of the existing resource, which could be developed independently and adds substantial flexibility to future mining plans.
Historical pilot test work from over a decade ago already demonstrated the successful production of high-quality rare earth oxalate from Araxá samples, with retained materials now under evaluation by REalloys. St George is furthering its technical edge through partnerships, including plans for a new pilot plant at its Technological Centre in collaboration with Brazil's CEFET university. The company is also engaging directly with US government representatives on commercial support, amid advancing Brazil-US trade talks on critical minerals.
Strategically located in the established Araxá mining district next to major niobium operations like CBMM, the project benefits from proven logistics and infrastructure. These latest developments de-risk the path to commercialization, enhancing St George's role in the intensifying global rare earths race. With share prices reflecting optimism around $0.12-$0.135, the company is steadily building momentum toward becoming a reliable Western supplier of these vital materials.