JapanCritical Materials & Supply Chain▲
Lindian Partners with Carester for Oxide Separation and Offtake
Lindian Resources Limited has executed a Technology and Engineering Services Agreement and a long-term binding Offtake Agreement with Carester SAS for the development of an Oxide Separation Facility, marking a major step in its downstream rare earth strategy. The partnership will advance a Definitive Feasibility Study for a new 8,000 tonne per annum REO solvent extraction and oxide separation facility at Stepnogorsk, Kazakhstan, targeted for completion in Q4 2026, with Tetra Tech Coffey also involved. Under the binding offtake agreement, Carester will purchase 70% of SEGH production and hold a right of first refusal over 70% of MHREC production from SARECO, with an initial 10-year term and two five-year extension options. Heavy rare earths product will be supplied to the Caremag Refinery in Lacq, France, a joint venture backed by JOGMEC, Iwatani, and Carester, which has secured significant French and Japanese government funding. Lindian's Executive Chairman Robert Martin highlighted that the Caremag facility is backed by €216 million in funding and targets approximately 15% of global dysprosium and terbium oxide production, positioning Lindian as one of the few vertically integrated mine-to-separated oxides producers globally.