Brazilian Critical Minerals Limited has appointed Altris Engineering as Lead Design Engineer for the front-end engineering design phase of the flagship Ema Rare Earth Project in Brazil.

The appointment marks the next major engineering stage for the asset, advancing the project from feasibility toward financing, procurement, a final investment decision, and eventual construction. Altris previously led the engineering component of the Ema Bankable Feasibility Study, giving the team detailed knowledge of the project's process design, infrastructure requirements, execution strategy, capital costs, and development risks. Retaining the same engineering consultant allows Brazilian Critical Minerals to preserve existing technical knowledge and avoid the additional time and cost associated with transferring the project to a new provider.

The front-end engineering and design programme is expected to take approximately 24 weeks to complete. The scope covers multidisciplinary engineering services across the asset, focusing on processing facilities from the receipt of pregnant leach solution generated by the in-situ recovery wellfield through to impurity removal, mixed rare earth carbonate precipitation, dewatering, and product load-out. Altris will also develop major equipment specifications, coordinate requests for quotation, and evaluate vendor proposals to prepare procurement packages and refine capital cost estimates and implementation schedules.

Following completion of the engineering phase, detailed design and construction documentation will be handed over to a qualified Brazilian contractor operating within local regulatory frameworks.

“The appointment of Altris to undertake the FEED is the next important step in moving Ema from feasibility into project execution. Having Altris continue as our Lead Design Engineer provides significant advantages. Their team already has an intimate understanding of the Ema flowsheet, infrastructure and development strategy following their work on the BFS, allowing us to move immediately into the next engineering phase without having to rebuild that project knowledge.”

— Andrew Reid, Managing Director

The current engineering work also follows a regulatory milestone achieved on June 14, 2026, when the Federal Mines Agency approved the final exploration reports for the tenements covering the deposit. That approval triggered a one-year period for the company to submit a full mining license application supported by a feasibility study for analysis.

Read the full announcement: Appoints Altris Engineering To Advance Ema Project into FEED