New Axel REE CEO Dr Patience Mpofu brings Glencore offtake experience to Caladao rare earths project as it moves from exploration toward commercial development.
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Axel REE (ASX: AXL) named Dr Patience Mpofu as managing director to lead development of the Caladao rare earths project in Brazil. The appointment comes as the company shifts from exploration toward commercial development, non-executive chair Paul Dickson said.
Mpofu holds a doctorate in clay mineral processing, directly relevant to Axel REE's planned in-situ recovery (ISR) trials at the Woolrich deposit. Before that, she held executive roles at South32 (ASX: S32) and Anglo American. In 2019, she was recognised with CEO Global's Most Influential Woman in Business and Government – Mining across Africa. Mpofu also serves as a non-executive director of Orion Minerals (ASX: ORN) and founded Insight Mining Experts, an advisory firm that has worked on critical minerals policy with the European Union, the World Economic Forum, and the B20/G20 Energy Transition Taskforce.
At Orion, Mpofu helped advance the Prieska and Okiep copper projects through feasibility studies and a $250 million funding and offtake deal with Glencore. That experience could prove valuable as Axel REE seeks to finance and commercialise Caladao.
Dickson said:
Mpofu said she was honoured to join Axel REE at such an important stage in its growth journey.
I believe the company is well positioned to advance as a strategically relevant critical minerals developer, and I look forward to working closely with the board and management team as we progress its rare earths and critical minerals portfolio through its next phase of development.
The appointment comes as Brazilian rare earths draw increased attention from investors and policymakers seeking to reduce reliance on Chinese supply, a theme that runs across many commodity markets (see our commodities analysis). Clay-hosted deposits like Caladao can often be processed with less intensive metallurgy than hard-rock sources. Axel REE's plan to use ISR could lower costs and reduce environmental impact, a factor that matters for permitting. Mpofu's Glencore offtake experience at Orion suggests a similar structure could apply at Caladao, though Axel REE has not announced any offtake discussions.
The move mirrors similar appointments at other rare earths developers that have shifted from exploration to development in recent years. Axel REE expects to begin field recovery trials at Woolrich later this year. The company has not disclosed a timeline for a definitive feasibility study on Caladao.
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