DRA Global has been appointed by Ionic Rare Earths Limited (ASX: IXR) to support progress at its 60 percent owned Makuutu Heavy Rare Earths Project in Uganda. 

The Makuutu Rare Earths Project is an ionic adsorption clay (IAC) hosted rare earth element (REE) deposit being developed around 120km east of Kampala in eastern Uganda. DRA’s skilled team of hydro metallurgists have extensive knowledge and experience in all unit operations relevant to rare earth extraction. The organisation has earned an impressive reputation in successful project delivery across various commodities and locations.
DRA will initially focus on the optimisation of mining pit design and operations, a detailed review of the Stage 1 DFS and Phase 2 of the Demonstration Plant, with a further objective to identify potential opportunities for overall project enhancement further work required to attain the Class 2 estimate accuracy (+/- 10%).

“The Company is delighted to appoint DRA Global to assist IonicRE and RRM progress Makuutu towards commercial development. The work completed to date provides a great starting point for how we envisage the development of Makuutu, and we expect that bringing in DRA Global, with a strong pedigree in developing African projects to production, is another major step forward for Makuutu which will greatly enhance our plans on the overall development of what we expect to be a much larger project in time,” IonicRE’s Managing Director Mr Tim Harrison.

“We are pleased to be working alongside IonicRE and RRM on the Makuutu project in Uganda, particularly during the demonstration plant and project development phases. This project involves exploring some promising concepts and utilising advanced process technologies that have been applied successfully in projects outside Africa. The focus is on innovative approaches and a strategic testing plan to progress and de-risk Makuutu effectively." James Smith, DRA Global Chief Executive Officer. 

DRA Global Limited (ASX: DRA | JSE: DRA) (DRA or the Group) is an international multi-disciplinary engineering, project delivery and operations management group, predominantly focused on the mining, minerals and metals industry.

The Group has an extensive track record spanning almost four decades across a wide range of commodities. We have delivered more than 8,000 projects, studies and managed services solutions, and currently operate more than a dozen sites through its operations and maintenance division.

Our teams have deep expertise in the mining, minerals and metals processing industries, as well as related non-process infrastructure such as, water, and energy solutions. We deliver comprehensive advisory, engineering and project delivery services throughout the capital project lifecycle, from concept through to operational readiness and commissioning as well as ongoing operations, maintenance and engineering services. We do this with a focus on sustainability and assisting clients to achieve their ESG goals.

DRA covers all major mining centres with offices across Africa and the Middle East, North and South America, and the Asia-Pacific.