Rare Earths Processing Decarbonisation

Overview

Bivios was engaged by a leading rare earths developer to support the decarbonisation of one of Australia’s most strategically important industrial processing assets. With rare earth elements playing a vital role in the global energy transition – powering everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines – their production must also align with emerging ESG, investor, and offtaker expectations.

However, rare earth processing is highly energy-intensive, and stakeholders demanded a credible, technically grounded pathway to net zero by 2050. The company needed clear answers on cost, risk, and impact – and the confidence to communicate them publicly.

Project Scope

• Client: Confidential

• Sector: Critical minerals

• Focus: Midstream processing decarbonisation

• Objective: Establish and communicate a viable decarbonisation pathway to net zero

• Timeframe: 2022–present (with public disclosure in Jan 2023)

The Bivios Solution

Bivios led a structured evaluation of five decarbonisation pathways for the rare earths processing facility, including both power and process emissions. The goal was to determine the least-cost, least-risk route to meet the client’s 2050 target – while aligning with regulatory frameworks, offtaker expectations, and capital market pressures.

Key activities included:

• Techno-economic assessment of renewable power integration, storage, and fuel switching

• Emissions modelling under multiple technology and policy scenarios

• Identification of scalable, investment-grade solutions with minimal disruption to operations

• Drafting of investor-facing public communications (ASX disclosure, January 2023)

• Ongoing implementation support through phased decarbonisation execution

Value Delivered

• Provided a credible, costed decarbonisation pathway aligned with the client’s long-term ESG targets

• Authored the industry-first public disclosure of the plan via stock market release in January 2023

• Supported a successful $1 billion+ debt raise, with the decarbonisation strategy cited as a key enabler

• Strengthened investor confidence, offtaker alignment, and regulatory positioning

• Built a replicable model for decarbonising critical minerals processing in Australia and beyond

Strategic Significance

Rare earths are essential for the clean energy transition – but unless their production becomes cleaner, they risk falling out of step with the sustainability mandates of their end-use industries.

This project proved that midstream industrial decarbonisation is not only technically possible, but commercially enabling. By doing the hard modelling and communicating it transparently, the client set a new benchmark for ESG leadership in the sector.