Rare earths, made in Europe.
We are building an integrated mine-to-magnet platform in Figueira da Foz, Portugal: secured rare-earth feedstock, separation and permanent-magnet manufacturing under one roof, to power Europe's energy transition and strengthen its strategic autonomy.
A Portuguese answer to a European challenge
Wise Minerals is a Portuguese company developing one of Europe's first fully integrated rare-earths platforms — from secured feedstock, through separation into high-purity rare-earth oxides, to the permanent magnets at the heart of electric vehicles, wind turbines and advanced industry.
Integrated by design. One aligned value chain, from feedstock through separation to magnets, removing the supply bottlenecks that have stalled other European initiatives.
Anchored in Figueira da Foz. An industrial location on Portugal's Atlantic coast, with direct access to port, road and energy infrastructure and a skilled industrial workforce.
Aligned with Europe. Designed to deliver within the EU Critical Raw Materials Act horizon, contributing to Europe's 2030 targets for domestic processing of strategic raw materials.
Experienced leadership. Decades of large-scale mining, energy and industrial projects across four continents.
The metals inside every motor and turbine
Rare-earth elements are a group of 17 metals with unique magnetic properties. A few kilograms go into every electric-vehicle motor; up to ten tonnes into a single offshore wind turbine. Without them, there is no energy transition — and today, Europe imports almost all of them.
Electric mobility
NdFeB magnets are the standard for high-efficiency EV drivetrain motors.
Wind energy
Permanent-magnet generators power the world's largest offshore turbines.
Electronics & robotics
From smartphones and hard drives to compact high-torque motors for automation.
Defence & aerospace
Guidance, radar, communications and actuation systems all rely on rare earths.
Source: Rare Earths Industry Association — public information.
A supply chain the West doesn't control
Demand for magnet rare earths is set to grow for decades, yet almost the entire supply chain runs through a single country. Export controls introduced in 2024–2025 turned that theoretical risk into an operational one, and made Western independence a matter of urgency.
of the EU's permanent magnets are imported
Europe's clean-energy industries depend almost entirely on external suppliers for the magnets that drive them.
of global rare-earth processing is concentrated in China
A single-country chokepoint for the entire Western supply chain, with shipment-by-shipment export approvals already causing delays.
of Europe's rare earths come from recycling today
Against a 25% EU target for 2030; the circular supply chain still has to be built.
Global rare-earth demand keeps climbing
Projected global demand, kilotonnes per year — more than doubling in a decade
Source: IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook; McKinsey & Company — public information.
Europe's 2030 targets vs. where it stands
EU Critical Raw Materials Act targets, % of annual consumption
Source: EU Critical Raw Materials Act (2024); EU Court of Auditors — public information.
Decades of guaranteed demand
EV, wind and defence mandates lock in long-term growth; the IEA projects over 80% more demand by 2040.
Export controls are already biting
Rare-earth and magnet export controls introduced in 2024–2025 already delay Western supply chains, shipment by shipment.
Public money is flowing
Washington and Brussels are now funding non-Chinese supply at a scale not seen before.
High barriers protect early entrants
The few Western plants built this decade will hold a durable advantage.
United States: moving fast
European Union: binding 2030 targets
Europe needs new, independent rare-earth capacity operating before 2030. Wise Minerals is building it in Figueira da Foz.
Sources: European Commission (Critical Raw Materials Act); IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook; McKinsey & Company; USGS; US public announcements — public information.
From mine to magnet: one integrated value chain
Most European rare-earth projects solve one link of the chain and depend on third parties for the rest. Wise Minerals was designed around the whole chain from day one.
Secured supply
Long-term supply of high-grade rare-earth concentrate from four exploration concessions in Zambézia Province, Mozambique: around 75,000 hectares in total, close to Atlantic-facing ports.
- Exploration and drilling campaigns under way
- Mineralisation rich in magnet rare earths (NdPr, DyTb)
- Complemented over time by recycled magnet feed
Figueira da Foz separation plant
A hydrometallurgical plant separating up to 5,000 t/y of concentrate into 4,275 t/y of high-purity rare-earth oxides (NdPr, DyTb, Gd, Y, La and Ce) using proven, industrially deployed solvent-extraction technology.
- First production targeted for Q1 2030
- Zero-liquid-discharge water treatment
- One of the largest planned facilities of its kind in Europe
Permanent-magnet manufacturing
A planned downstream facility producing around 2,000 t/y of sintered NdFeB permanent magnets for European customers in mobility, energy and industry.
- Targeted for the early 2030s
- Feeds directly from Phase 1 oxides
- Completes a European magnet supply chain
What we are building
Two industrial facilities in Figueira da Foz, Portugal, supplied by a dedicated upstream exploration programme in Mozambique.
Concept visualisation
Rare-Earth Separation Plant
High-purity rare-earth oxide separation at Figueira da Foz, intended as one of Europe's reference facilities for magnet rare earths within the EU CRMA framework.
Concept visualisation
Permanent-Magnet Factory
A planned NdFeB magnet manufacturing facility adjacent to the separation plant, converting oxides into finished magnets for European EV, wind-energy and industrial customers.
Concept visualisation
Upstream Exploration Programme
Four exploration concessions in Zambézia Province, where sampling and drilling campaigns are confirming rare-earth mineralisation with a strong share of magnet rare earths.
Built with proven industrial partners
Each stage of the project is delivered with established international partners who have built plants, infrastructure and processes like these before.
Tenova
Tenova Advanced Technologies (TAT), part of the Tenova Group, has been selected by Wise Minerals as the exclusive solvent extraction (SX) technology provider for the project.
Leveraging its extensive experience in rare earth element (REE) separation and purification, TAT will support the project through a phased development program, including technical assessment, metallurgical test work and piloting, engineering and supply of proprietary equipment. TAT's proprietary SX expertise will play a key role in optimizing the recovery and production of high-purity rare earth products.
CJR Group
CJR Group, a Portuguese multinational with more than 50 years of construction and industrial experience across 20+ countries, is Wise Minerals' upstream partner in Mozambique, the group guaranteeing the project's supply of rare-earth concentrate.
CJR leads the mining venture developing the Zambézia concessions in partnership with Africa Horizon, and is responsible for securing the long-term flow of concentrate to the Figueira da Foz separation plant.
Quadrante
Quadrante, an international engineering and project-management consultancy headquartered in Lisbon, coordinates the project's engineering studies.
Quadrante leads the phased engineering programme, from concept study and preliminary economic assessment through to the definitive feasibility study and FEED, in close coordination with Tenova's technology scope. Its job is to take the Figueira da Foz facilities from design to a construction-ready package.
MinePro
MinePro Solutions, a Spanish engineering firm specialised in the mining industry, supports the project across all mineral-processing aspects.
MinePro provides specialist process engineering across the value chain, from characterising the Mozambique feedstock to the processing design of the Figueira da Foz plant, so that the feedstock and separation stages are engineered as one continuous chain.
A realistic, milestone-driven plan
Wise Minerals focuses on processing and manufacturing, which avoids the decade-long permitting cycles of European mining. First production is targeted ahead of the EU's 2030 Critical Raw Materials Act deadline.
Foundations
EU CRMA Strategic Project application, site work at Figueira da Foz and expanded drilling campaigns on the upstream concessions.
Resource & engineering
Independent (JORC) mineral resource estimate, environmental impact assessment and completion of feasibility and engineering design studies.
Final investment decision
Board approval and financing close, followed by the start of construction of the Phase 1 separation plant.
Construction & commissioning
Approximately 24 months of construction, equipment installation and commissioning at Figueira da Foz.
First production
First separated rare-earth oxides delivered, targeted ahead of the CRMA 2030 deadline.
Phase 2 — magnets
Development and roll-out of the NdFeB permanent-magnet manufacturing facility.
Indicative timeline. Milestones are targets and subject to permitting, engineering and financing progress.
A clean plant for a clean-energy product
A plant that exists to enable clean energy should be clean itself. Environmental performance and local benefit have been design criteria from the first drawings.
Circular by design
The plant is designed to process recycled NdFeB magnets alongside primary feedstock, supporting Europe's rare-earth recycling ambitions.
Clean process
Zero-liquid-discharge water treatment, reagent recovery and a substantially lower energy footprint than conventional roasting-based routes.
Nature & permitting
The site avoids Natura 2000 protected areas and undergoes a full environmental impact assessment under Portuguese and EU law.
Local value
Around 100 direct skilled jobs at full operation, priority to regional suppliers, and open, ongoing dialogue with the Figueira da Foz community.
People who have built at this scale before
Senior leadership across mining, energy, construction, law and finance. Together the team has delivered over $60 billion in projects worldwide and invested more than $800 million in energy and infrastructure in Mozambique.
Jean-Marc Ichbia
Led Arctic LNG 2, a $22bn project; former Project Director at TotalEnergies and Novatek; geologist (ENSG Nancy).
Diogo Vaz Guedes
Former CEO of Somague and Vice-President at Sacyr; serial founder and investor in energy and infrastructure ventures.
Edelson Remane
Vice-President of the Chamber of Mines of Mozambique; deep experience in Mozambican mining and public affairs.
José Maria Vaz Guedes
Managing Partner at Africa Horizon; former advisor across Microsoft, SAP and Unit4 ecosystems; mechanical engineer.
Vasco Dinis
Mining engineer (FEUP); former Project Director at Somague and Sacyr; board member at DrillGo.
Gonçalo Guimarães
Former Legal Director of the Sonae Group; board member and legal & commercial director in international ventures.
Peter Bridgeland
Former Project Director at Total, Novatek and British Gas; engineering graduate of the University of Leeds.
Svetlana Uzlova
Former Project Control Engineer at TotalEnergies and Planning Controller at Novatek; economist.
Let's talk
Whether you are a potential partner, a supplier, a neighbour in Figueira da Foz or a journalist, we would like to hear from you.
Headquarters
Wise Minerals, Lda
Rua da Junqueira 277
1300-338 Lisboa, Portugal
Project site
Figueira da Foz, Portugal