St George Mining Limited (ASX: SGQ) has selected Worley Engenharia Ltda, the Brazilian arm of Worley Limited (ASX: WOR), to provide engineering and project management services at its 100%-owned Araxá Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Worley has operated in Brazil for more than 60 years. The Company was chosen after a competitive selection process, with Worley’s engineering track record in the Brazilian resources sector identified as a deciding factor.
The appointment covers a broad scope of work across all stages of project development. It signals a clear step toward formal economic studies for a potential niobium and rare earths mining operation at Araxá.
Figure 1: The Araxá Niobium and Rare Earths Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil. [St George Mining Limited]
Worley Brings Global Engineering Capability to Araxá
Worley Limited employs more than 40,000 people across over 40 countries. It is one of the largest providers of engineering and project management services to the global resources sector.
The Worley scope at Araxá covers:
- Metallurgical and process engineering
- Feasibility and cost study work
- Process plant design
- Mine planning and tailings management
- Procurement and plant construction support
This range of services gives St George Mining access to Worley’s full global capability, from early-stage economic analysis through to operational planning.
John Prineas, Executive Chairman of St George Mining, said:
“As one of the world’s largest providers of engineering and project management solutions to the resources sector, Worley brings extensive and relevant expertise to support St George as we advance the potential development of our world-class Araxá Project.”
Tom Foster, Worley’s Senior Vice President for Global Operations — LATAM&C, commented:
“We’re pleased to partner with St George to bring our regional expertise and global capabilities to support the Araxá Project. This partnership reflects Worley’s long-standing track record in Brazil and our capability to support complex resources projects from early studies through to operation.”
Experienced In-Country Team With Deep Araxá Roots
St George Mining has built an in-country leadership team with direct operational experience in the Araxá region. Several team members previously worked at CBMM, the world’s leading niobium producer, whose operations sit adjacent to the Araxá Project.
The executive team in Brazil includes:
- Carlos Araujo, Lead Plant Engineer: Managed the design, construction and commissioning of CBMM’s niobium processing plant. Recognised as an industry expert in processing pyrochlore, the host mineral for niobium, and monazite, which hosts rare earths.
- Ricardo Nardi, Lead Processing Engineer: Former Head of Mineral Processing at CBMM, with more than 30 years’ experience in niobium processing, mineral by-products, and high purity niobium oxide production.
- Adriano Rios, Director of Mining Operations: Former CBMM Production Manager responsible for mine planning, mineral processing, and metallurgy. Also, a former Director of Operations for COMIPA, the joint venture between CBMM and the State of Minas Gerais.
- Thiago Amaral, Brazil Country Head: Former CBMM Product Regulation Coordinator and ex-Head of Sustainability, with responsibilities covering licensing, environmental management, and ESG programs.
Two additional in-house specialists support the team:
- Alaercio Viera, Metallurgy Manager: Previously Metallurgy Manager at Serra Verde — Brazil’s only producing rare earth mine, currently subject to a US$2.8 billion takeover — and a former Process Expert at both CBMM in Araxá and CMOC at Catalão.
- Juliano Bianco, Specialist Engineer: Managed the design, construction and commissioning of CBMM’s metallurgical and oxide niobium processing plant.
Australian Metallurgical Experts Complete the Advisory Panel
St George Mining has also engaged two Australia-based metallurgical experts. They will serve as the Competent Persons for any future metallurgical announcements:
- Gavin Beer: Principal of Met-Chem Consulting, with 35 years of international experience in metallurgy. He specialises in rare earths processing and has held senior roles at Peak Rare Earths Limited (ASX: PEK) and Arafura Resources Limited (ASX: ARU).
- Peter Adamini: Technical Manager at IMO (Independent Metallurgical Operations Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of SGS Australia Holdings Pty Ltd), with more than 25 years’ experience in flowsheet design and metallurgical process development across niobium and rare earths.
A World-Class Resource Already in Place
On 3 March 2026, St George Mining announced a major resource upgrade for the Araxá Project. The JORC-compliant Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), a formal, independently verified calculation of how much mineral material exists in the ground, now stands at:
Table 1: Total JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Araxá Project using a 2% TREO cut-off. [St George Mining Limited]
A separate niobium inventory, reported at a lower 0.2% Nb₂O₅ cut-off, adds a further 24.56 million tonnes at 0.52% Nb₂O₅.
The combined total Nb₂O₅ inventory across both tables stands at 95.47 million tonnes. This figure reflects all niobium-bearing material at the project.
Figure 2: 3D perspective of the Araxá Project Mineral Resource Estimate, showing TREO% grade distribution. [St George Mining Limited]
Araxá Project: Location and Development Advantages
St George Mining acquired 100% of the Araxá Project on 27 February 2025. The project sits in Minas Gerais, Brazil, directly adjacent to CBMM’s world-leading niobium operations in the Barreiro Carbonatite.
The project area carries several structural advantages that support a potential development timeline:
- Established transport and energy infrastructure already in place
- Access to a skilled workforce familiar with niobium and rare earth operations
- High-grade mineralisation open to open-pit mining methods, meaning the ore can be extracted from the surface rather than underground
- Government support for expedited permitting approvals
- Only around 10% of the tenement tested by drilling to date, pointing to significant further discovery potential
John Prineas noted that the appointment of Worley will allow economic studies to build momentum as the Company works to progress development:
“With a world-class resource already defined at our project, the appointment of Worley will enable economic studies to gain momentum as we look to fast-track development and take advantage of our favourable project logistics.”
Why Niobium and Rare Earths Matter Right Now
Niobium is used to strengthen steel for infrastructure, aerospace, and automotive manufacturing. It is also a critical input for superconducting materials found in quantum computing, medical imaging equipment, and particle accelerators.
Rare earth elements, particularly magnet rare earths like neodymium and praseodymium, are essential components in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and advanced defence systems.
Figure 3: Use cases of Niobium and Rare Earths
Global demand for both commodities is growing. The niobium market is forecast to expand from around 117,000 tonnes in 2025 to nearly 188,000 tonnes by 2030, a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9.9%, according to Mordor Intelligence.
The rare earth oxides market is projected to grow from around USD 6.2 billion in 2024 to approximately USD 18.2 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 12.6%. Supply chain security — particularly reducing dependence on Chinese production — has elevated the strategic importance of projects like Araxá.
Figure 4: Forecast growth of the Rare Earth Oxides market from 2024 to 2034.
Investor’s Outlook
The Worley appointment represents a clear step in the commercial development pathway for the Araxá Project. It follows the March 2026 resource upgrade and reflects the Company’s strategy of building a credentialled team around what it describes as a globally significant asset.
Key milestones to watch for in the months ahead:
- Initial results from economic and feasibility studies led by Worley
- Ongoing drilling results and further resource definition work
- Progress on metallurgical flowsheet development with SGS Canada
- Continued permitting and government engagement in Brazil
Stock performance data for St George Mining Limited (ASX: SGQ) as at the time of publication:
| Last Price (ASX: SGQ) | A$0.120 |
| 52-Week High | A$0.180 |
| 52-Week Low | A$0.022 |
| Market Capitalisation | A$452.25 |
Disclaimer
This article has been prepared by Colitco for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. The content is based on publicly available information, including ASX announcements by St George Mining Limited (ASX: SGQ). Readers should conduct their own research and seek independent financial advice before making any investment decisions. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Colitco and its contributors may hold positions in securities discussed in this article. All figures are sourced directly from company announcements and are reproduced in good faith.
Last modified: May 6, 2026
