Lindian Resources Strikes Rare Earth Processing Deal in Kazakhstan

The collaboration, supported by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction, centers on an 8,000-tonne-per-annum solvent extraction facility. A definitive feasibility study is currently underway with engineering firm Tetra Tech, with results expected by the end of 2026. This project aims to integrate Lindian’s upstream mining operations with advanced processing, moving beyond concentrate production to generate high-value magnet-quality neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium oxides.

Under the terms of the agreement, Carester will secure 70% of the facility’s heavy rare earth output for its Caremag refinery in Lacq, France. The French site, backed by funding from the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security and Iwatani Corporation, is positioned to supply critical materials for high-performance permanent magnets. Lindian plans to leverage existing industrial infrastructure in Stepnogorsk to optimize capital costs, utilizing the site’s established access to power, rail, and chemical reagents. Executive Chairman Robert Martin emphasized that this vertical integration strategy serves to insulate the company from commodity volatility by securing direct access to western-funded processing routes.