VHM Limited has revealed it is moving ahead with plans to ramp up production at its Goschen rare earths project in Victoria to five million tonnes (Mt) per year.
Goschen was given the green light to begin construction on the mine late last year when Victorian Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny approved its Environmental Effects Statement (ESS).
The ESS process is considered to be the most stringent level of environmental assessment in Victoria, which saw Goschen subject to rigorous scrutiny from April 2024 until it was approved in December.
Now, VHM is looking ahead to production, which is expected to be fully underway in 2026.
“The company’s strategy will be to undertake a staged approached to the development of the Goschen project,” VHM said.
“The revised approach will be to construct mine and facilities capable of processing 1.5Mtpa of rare earths and mineral sands, ramping up to the approved 5Mtpa project over a three-year period utilising production cashflows.”
Goschen will supply the ‘big four’ rare earths the Australian Government has outlined as being key to an electrified future in its Critical Minerals Strategy: neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium.
Mining licence approval and work plan submissions are now well underway, with early engineering works progressing to enable construction to commence in late 2025.
Goschen’s ore reserves are currently sitting around 199Mt, underpinned by 629Mt mineral resource inventory.
