Araxá’s Minerals Strategy Strengthens Local Partnerships

Highlights

• Strong government and community participation at Araxá forum
• Expanded engagement strengthens project visibility in Brazil
• Continued progress across drilling, studies and regional partnerships

St George Builds Strong Foundations at Araxá as Brazil’s Critical Minerals Landscape Evolves

St George Mining (ASX:SGQ) is gaining notable traction in Brazil as its one-hundred-percent-owned Araxá niobium and rare earths project draws growing attention across the region. The company recently hosted an Open Day and Critical Minerals Forum in the city of Araxá, attracting a broad mix of government, community and industry representatives. The event highlighted the momentum building behind the project and reinforced how critical minerals continue shaping the global resource narrative, particularly among investors who actively track ASX mining stocks and the broader ASX stock market.

Set within one of South America’s most established mineral provinces, the Araxá project is emerging as a significant contributor to Brazil’s vision for a modern and environmentally conscious resources sector. The forum provided a platform for open dialogue, transparency and collaboration—an essential foundation as the development path continues toward key milestones.

Government Support Strengthens Regional Confidence

A central theme of the forum was the strong presence of state representatives who emphasised the importance of new-age resource development for Brazil’s long-term economic diversification. Support from Minas Gerais leadership reflects a broader shift toward modern mining practices focused on environmental responsibility, technological integration and enhanced operational safety.

Officials highlighted the value of a project that aligns with the region’s established geology and long history of mineral production. With Araxá already known globally for its high-quality niobium operations, the addition of a new rare earths and niobium development offers opportunities for expanded collaboration, regional growth and research-driven advancement.

The backing from state authorities also builds on a cooperation framework designed to streamline administrative processes and encourage responsible project progression. This agreement reflects how Brazil is positioning critical minerals as a cornerstone of its resource future.

Community Engagement Becomes a Key Development Pillar

The event drew substantial participation from local organisations, education groups and industry bodies who expressed support for initiatives aimed at long-term community uplift. The project is strategically located within the Barreiro Carbonatite district—an area recognised for its established mining operations and infrastructure, which reduces development friction and helps foster community understanding.

Local representatives emphasised the importance of sustainable growth through training, education and technology-focused planning. A highlight of the discussions was the collaboration with CEFET MG, aimed at building a pilot plant for downstream processing research. The partnership underscores a shared intent to increase local technical expertise, create new learning pathways and connect regional talent with emerging mineral technologies.

Community leaders also noted the significance of job creation and local investment, reiterating the broader societal benefits that large-scale critical minerals projects often introduce when designed with long-term considerations.

A Resource Positioned for Global Relevance

Early studies and exploration results have reinforced Araxá’s status as a high-grade rare earths and niobium deposit within a carbonatite-hosted system. This geology is known for producing meaningful rare earths concentrations globally and supports efficient development models with reduced environmental footprints.

The resource’s scale and grade position it among the most significant emerging deposits in the Western world, with extensive mineralisation supported by ongoing drilling. The company continues to view the project as a foundation for long-term, sustainable growth within Brazil’s critical minerals sector.

Furthermore, the geological characteristics share similarities with well-known global carbonatite mines, strengthening confidence in Araxá’s potential to support a modern processing and downstream industry within the country.

Transparent Collaboration Remains Central to Project Strategy

The forum highlighted the importance of transparent communication as St George advances toward future milestones. Company representatives outlined their strategy to maintain open, respectful and ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders, from government officials to local communities and research institutions.

Araxá’s environmental setting, long mining history and absence of sensitive territorial complexities make it a favourable environment for permitting and operational planning. This alignment has helped drive smoother engagement and more constructive conversations around the project’s long-term direction.

Year of Progress Across Drilling, Studies and Partnerships

The in-country team presented an overview of achievements from the ongoing year, highlighting steady progression across exploration, partnerships and technical studies. Key initiatives included:

Expansion Through Drilling and Acquisition Progress

Significant drilling programs have continued to define and expand the mineralised footprint at Araxá. The company completed major drilling milestones while also finalising the acquisition of the project earlier in the year, setting the foundation for future resource growth.

Integration Into Brazil’s Mine-to-Magnet Vision

Participation in Brazil’s national MagBras initiative reflects the project’s alignment with the country’s broader mission to strengthen supply chains, increase downstream capability and integrate modern technology into mineral processing.

Education and Research Partnerships

The collaboration with CEFET MG stands out as a notable step forward. The planned pilot plant aims to support downstream processing research, enabling Brazil to enhance domestic expertise and build skilled workforce networks in rare earths and niobium.

Environmental Studies in Motion

Environmental assessments remain underway, with the company focused on maximising sustainability. The team continues to engage with regulators while emphasising responsible land management and reduced-impact mine planning.

Funding Secured for Upcoming Stages

Capital raised throughout the year has been directed toward advancing key development stages, including exploration, studies, research collaborations and initial project planning. These initiatives support the company’s pathway toward future investment decisions.

Technology Innovation Through Research Agencies

Partnerships with national research bodies such as EMBRAPII and SENAI aim to evaluate innovative processing technologies that could enhance recovery, reduce waste and increase downstream efficiency. These collaborations reinforce the role of innovation in Brazil’s emerging critical minerals strategy.

A Project Aligned With Brazil’s Future Resource Outlook

With strong government alignment, community support and continuously expanding technical understanding, St George continues to build a foundation for the Araxá project to emerge as an important rare earths and niobium development within the region. The company’s focus on responsible operations, education, technological advancement and transparent stakeholder engagement positions Araxá as a meaningful contributor to Brazil’s evolving critical minerals landscape.

For investors tracking broader indices such as the ASX100 or ASX300, developments in the critical minerals sector remain a key area of interest, with rising attention on how global supply chains adapt to new resource demands. The Araxá project forms part of this evolving narrative, underscoring the strategic importance of rare earths and niobium across technology, energy and industrial sectors.

While the project remains in its development phase, the consistent support from local and state leaders reflects a shared belief in its long-term role within Brazil’s resources future.