Ausenco has been awarded the contract to lead the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) of the Copi Project for RZ Resources Limited (RZ Resources), an emerging Australian-owned critical minerals producer.
Located in south-west New South Wales, the Copi Project will produce high-grade rutile, zircon, ilmenite and other rare earth minerals essential for supporting industries such as renewable energy, healthcare, defence and advanced manufacturing.
This contract builds on the strong partnership between Ausenco and RZ Resources. Ausenco has previously supported the Copi Project, delivering a Pre-feasibility Study in 2023 and a Desktop Study in 2022.
Leveraging insights from earlier studies, Ausenco will refine the project design, incorporate additional scopes and enhance estimate accuracy to ensure feasibility in today's market conditions. The DFS will also incorporate operational readiness planning and provide a cost estimate to AACE Class 3 accuracy. The DFS scope covers the entire mining operation, including the Rare Earths concentrate plant, wet concentration plant, mining dredges, tailings storage facility, heavy mineral concentrate stockpile, on- and off-site infrastructure, HV power supply, access roads, and civil works.
RZ Resources CEO, Campbell Jones, said, “We’re pleased to continue our collaboration with Ausenco on this critical milestone for the Copi Project. Their deep expertise in mineral sands will help position the project for success, drive best practice, and bring our vision of an Australian-based mine-to-processing-to-port supply chain to life.”
Ausenco brings extensive experience in mineral sands projects, both locally, including the Pooncarie and Snapper Mineral Sands projects, and globally, through their involvement in the world’s largest mineral sands floating concentrator for the Grande Côte mine in Senegal.
Ausenco President APAC/Africa, Minerals & Metals, Reuben Joseph, said, “It’s a privilege to work with RZ Resources again following the successful completion of earlier studies. Our team of experts will draw on decades of global experience to deliver a robust DFS, continuing our commitment to finding better ways to plan, build and operate mines.”
About Ausenco
Ausenco is a global engineering, consulting and project delivery firm built for the minerals and metals industry. With three decades of global experience, we work alongside clients to navigate complex challenges from first study to final closure—across every phase, on five continents. Deeply rooted in the minerals and metals industry, our people combine technical depth, hands-on expertise, and hard-earned insight to deliver practical, forward-thinking solutions that reduce risk and unlock value. (www.ausenco.com).
About RZ Resources
RZ Resources (RZ) is a privately held, Australian-owned critical minerals company, advancing one of the world’s most significant integrated mining and processing projects. Its flagship asset, the Copi Mine, hosts over 3.3 billion tonnes of high-value critical minerals—including titanium (rutile, leucoxene, ilmenite), zircon, and rare earth elements (monazite and xenotime)—and has a projected mine life of over 44 years, with ongoing drilling indicating further upside.
Strategically, RZ also owns and operates the only mineral separation and processing plant of comparable scale on Australia’s east coast, based in Brisbane. This downstream capability enables the company to export finished titanium and zircon products, along with rare earth concentrates, directly to international markets such as Japan and the United States, bypassing the need for further offshore processing, particularly in China.
This vertical integration positions RZ as a unique upstream and downstream producer in Australia, and one of the few emerging critical minerals players capable of directly competing with China in both processing and exports.