Metso to Supply Rotary Kiln System for Lynas Rare Earths Plant

Metso Oyj announced it has signed a contract for approximately EUR 13 million to deliver a rotary kiln and combustion system to Lynas Kalgoorlie Pty Ltd. The equipment will be used at Lynas's new greenfield cracking and leaching plant in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia, for processing rare earth elements. The order was booked in Metso's second-quarter 2020 orders received.

The plant will process concentrate from the Mount Weld mine. The kiln's output will serve as an intermediate feed for further processing to produce critical elements like neodymium and praseodymium, which are used in high-tech consumer electronics and green energy technologies.

Commissioning of the kiln is scheduled for 2022. Lynas described the kiln as the longest lead-time item for its Kalgoorlie project and confirmed the order as a significant milestone. Metso Outotec, the name under which Metso Minerals operates, has a global track record of over 1,300 rotary kiln installations.

Lynas is the world's second-largest producer of rare earths and the largest outside of China. This contract positions Metso as a key supplier for a project crucial to the supply chain of materials essential for advanced technologies and renewable energy sectors.