St George Mining Limited (ASX: SGQ) has lodged an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Impact Report for its Araxá Project in Brazil.
The Company submitted the documents, known as the EIA and RIMA, to the State Environmental Foundation of Minas Gerais, or FEAM.
The lodgement opens the licensing process needed to build and run a mine and processing complex at Araxá.
St George Mining Limited (ASX: SGQ) holds 100% of the Araxá Project.
Permitting Process Formally Begins
The EIA and RIMA form the Company’s application for the Preliminary Licence, called the Licença Prévia or LP in Brazil.
The LP is the first of three licences needed before mining can start. The documents were prepared on the basis of a greenfields development. They cover the proposed open-pit mine and a new industrial complex.
The industrial complex includes:
- Mineral processing, refining and metallurgical plants
- Waste and tailings facilities
- Supporting infrastructure
Figure 1: Schematic diagram showing the areas assessed for the proposed mining operation and industrial complex at Araxá. [Source: St George Mining]
A Three-Stage Licensing Process
Minas Gerais licenses mining projects in three stages.
The State Environmental Foundation, FEAM, carries out the technical review. The State Environmental Policy Council, COPAM, makes the final decision at each stage.
- Preliminary Licence (LP): certifies the project’s environmental feasibility and approves its location and concept. It follows review of the EIA and RIMA and a public hearing.
- Installation Licence (LI): authorises construction, following approval of an Environmental Control Plan.
- Operation Licence (LO): authorises operation once the conditions of the LP and LI are met.
St George has now commenced the first of these three stages.
Figure 2: The three-stage environmental licensing pathway for the Araxá Project in Minas Gerais. [Source: St George Mining]
The Company expects the LP and LI stages to be completed within 12 months, based on industry experience.
The LO is granted after construction is complete.
St George estimates construction completion in the second half of 2029, subject to conditions and a final investment decision.
This timeline applies to a greenfields development only.
Executive Chairman on the Milestone
John Prineas, Executive Chairman of St George Mining, commented on the lodgement.
“We have established world-class scale and grade at the Araxá Project and are now delighted to announce the formal commencement of the licensing process for a potential mining operation.”
“Our favourable project logistics – namely high-grade mineralisation that starts at surface, location in an established mining region with existing infrastructure and strong community support – are unmatched among our peers.”
“Our high-grade mineralisation means our mine will likely have a comparatively small footprint, minimising the environmental impact. Mineralisation is also free-digging, with no blasting required to enable mining to occur. These are also important advantages of a proposed mining operation at Araxá.”
“Our march towards a development at Araxá has accelerated with this important milestone in the critical path to becoming a globally significant producer of niobium and rare earths,” said Mr Prineas.
Scope of the Environmental Studies
The EIA and RIMA are the result of 14 months of studies and fieldwork. Together, the documents run to approximately 800 pages.
The Company worked with consultants Prime Consultoria Ambiental to prepare the documents, with an independent technical review by Alger Consultoria Socioambiental.
The studies cover the mine’s construction, operation and closure phases, including the West and East pits.
The baseline studies address four areas:
- Physical environment – geology, soils, surface water and groundwater, air quality, noise and vibration, and climate
- Radiological characterisation – baseline monitoring appropriate to a carbonatite deposit with associated uranium and thorium
- Biological environment – flora and fauna surveys, and cave investigations
- Socio-economic environment – social and community surveys within the project’s area of influence
Thorium and Uranium Levels Reported as Low
Carbonatite deposits, including Araxá, typically contain some thorium and uranium alongside rare earths.
The Company reports the Araxá resource carries very low values of these elements.
- 381 ppm thorium across the total resource
- 76 ppm uranium across the total resource
The Company says previous metallurgical test work confirmed these radionuclides can be removed completely during processing.
Ongoing test work will further develop the processing flowsheet, building on the pilot plant program announced in October 2025.
Figure 3: Thorium and uranium grades across the total Araxá Mineral Resource Estimate. [Source: St George Mining]
“Our extensive fieldwork and studies have assessed all potential environmental impacts of our proposed mining operation and we have designed robust operating procedures to ensure best sustainable mining practices,” said Mr Prineas.
Resource Underpinning the Application
The permitting milestone builds on the Company’s updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Araxá, announced on 11 August 2026.
That update lifted the resource to 111.2 million tonnes, with 68% in the higher-confidence Measured and Indicated category.
| Resource Classification | Million Tonnes (Mt) | TREO (%) | NdPr (%) | Nb₂O₅ (%) |
| Measured | 33.2 | 3.81 | 0.72 | 0.63 |
| Indicated | 42.0 | 3.50 | 0.67 | 0.54 |
| Measured & Indicated | 75.2 | 3.64 | 0.69 | 0.58 |
| Inferred | 36.0 | 3.43 | 0.66 | 0.53 |
| Total | 111.2 | 3.57 | 0.68 | 0.57 |
Figure 4: Araxá Mineral Resource Estimate at a 2% TREO cut-off, effective 11 August 2026. [Source: St George Mining]
Feasibility Study Continues Alongside Permitting
Environmental permitting is progressing in parallel with the Araxá feasibility study, led by Worley.
The Company is also evaluating the potential alternative use of existing regional processing plants.
That evaluation could offer a development pathway alongside the greenfields option covered by the EIA and RIMA.
“We have also embedded into our organisational DNA a commitment to safe and responsible operations, in the lead-up to a final investment decision for Araxá through to construction, then mining and processing activities and – ultimately – closure,” said Mr Prineas.
St George’s Araxá project has advanced quickly through 2026, including record drill results and high-grade niobium intercepts.
Investors’ Outlook
The permitting milestone follows an active year of project development for the Company.
In the June 2026 quarter, the Company completed a A$60 million placement and appointed Worley as feasibility technical adviser for Araxá.
The table below sets out the Company’s market data.
| Metric | Value |
| Last Price | A$0.0920 |
| Market Capitalisation | A$424.746M |
| 52-Week Range | 0.0380 – 0.1800 |
| 1 Year | +142.11% |
| vs Sector / vs ASX 200 | +94.81% / +140.07% |
Figure 5: SGQ market data. [Source: ASX / St George Mining]
Catalysts ahead:
- Progress of the Preliminary Licence (LP) through FEAM and COPAM review
- Continued feasibility study work led by Worley
- Maiden resource estimate for East Araxá, targeted for the December 2026 quarter
Disclaimer
This article has been prepared by Colitco in collaboration with St George Mining as part of a commercial content and investor communications arrangement. Colitco may receive compensation for the production and distribution of this content. This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial product advice, investment advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. The content reflects information available at the time of publication and may not be updated. All figures, data and statements have been sourced from St George Mining official ASX announcements and publicly available sources. Readers should conduct their own independent research and seek professional financial advice before making any investment decisions. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Exploration results are not a guarantee of future resource definition or commercial production
Luke Carlino is a seasoned Copywriter, Content Strategist, and Social Media Manager specialising in Mining, Finance, and Business journalism. With more than a decade of industry experience, he brings rigorous editorial standards and commercial acuity to every project.
