MAPUTO — Critical minerals explorer NeoTerra has selected US-based Valentine Enterprises to lead a prefeasibility study (PFS) for its Monte Muambe rare earths project in Mozambique, advancing the asset as Western nations race to secure supply chains for energy transition metals.
The study is funded by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), underscoring Washington’s strategic push to finance critical mineral projects across Africa. Valent’s appointment remains subject to final approval from the USTDA, which is expected shortly.
Valent will lead a consortium of specialized technical advisors. SGS North America will manage metallurgy, process engineering, and mineral testing, while New Dominion Consulting will oversee supply chain management, procurement, and sustainability strategy.
“Valent, SGS and New Dominion all bring a reputation for excellence, and together they’re the right team to deliver this study,” said Cedric Simonet, Chief Executive Officer of NeoTerra. “I’m looking forward to advancing the project through drilling and metallurgy, and to securing our future supply chain.”
The prefeasibility study will kick off in September with a site visit and stakeholder meeting. NeoTerra plans to launch a targeted drilling campaign shortly thereafter to extract representative metallurgical samples required for process testing.
