Largo Inc. has secured regulatory approval from Brazil's National Mining Agency to produce and sell copper and platinum group metal concentrates from its Maracás Menchen mine in Bahia, Brazil, shifting its operational scope to incorporate a multi-element by-product stream alongside its primary vanadium production.

The approval allows Largo to utilize its existing vanadium ore processing plant and ilmenite flotation infrastructure following industrial-scale flotation tests that demonstrated the technical and commercial viability of recovering commercial-grade copper-PGM concentrates containing platinum, gold, palladium, silver, cobalt, and nickel from mineral feed already being mined.

To maximize the output of the newly approved by-products, Largo is commencing the ramp-up of copper-PGM concentrate production while temporarily suspending the production of ilmenite concentrates. The company expects the copper-PGM concentrate production, once successfully ramped up and commercialized, to generate higher profit margins than ilmenite. Largo plans to evaluate additional equipment requirements in the next few months to produce ilmenite concentrates from the copper concentrate flotation tailings in collaboration with key ilmenite customers.

The company is currently discussing commercial terms for a potential first shipment of copper-PGM concentrates with smelters and traders. Largo expects to provide guidance for copper-PGM concentrate production and sales with its quarterly earnings report scheduled for August 14, 2026, as it advances the ramp-up to full-scale operations.

Read the full announcement: Largo Starts Production of Copper and Platinum Group Metals as By-Products of Vanadium Operations Following Mining Agency Approval