Clean TeQ Water Wins FEED Engineering Contract for Syerston Scandium Project

Clean TeQ Water (ASX: CNQ) has been awarded front end engineering design (FEED) and early works for the scandium recovery circuit at Sunrise Energy Metals’ (ASX: SRL) Syerston scandium project in New South Wales, with the engagement potentially worth about A$5.4 million.

Sunrise Energy Metals has contracted the full FEED scope at an estimated A$2.0m excluding GST, while long lead deliverables carry a provisional sum of about A$3.4m.

The early works component remains subject to Sunrise releasing individual tranches at its election during FEED, meaning none of the provisional sum is committed at this stage.

Clean TeQ Water’s scope covers the continuous Resin-in-Pulp (cRIP) ion exchange circuit, underpinned by Moving Bed Ion Exchange (MBIX) technology, and the downstream scandium refinery.

FEED will be delivered on a schedule-of-rates basis built from estimated hours by role, with the applicable rates fixed for 12 months from award and external expenses charged at cost plus a margin.

Earlier Engineering Package

The award follows preliminary test work and an engineering package completed earlier in 2026, with the next stage advancing the design of both circuits and incorporating confirmatory and optimisation test work in Clean TeQ Water’s laboratories.

Clean TeQ Water expects revenue from the FEED scope to be recognised substantially in the 2027 financial year, although the final amount invoiced could be above or below the estimate because it will depend on actual hours worked and expenses incurred.

Long lead deliverables are intended to protect the project schedule and are expected to be released in tranches during the FEED engagement, but Sunrise has not committed to releasing any part of the provisional sum.

“This award continues a collaboration that reaches back to the earliest development of the scandium flowsheet, and it is a strong endorsement of the work our team has delivered on the project to date,” CleanTeq chief executive officer Peter Voigt said.

“The company’s track record in delivering advanced ion exchange systems and metallurgical process plants provides a strong foundation for project execution at scale.”

Recovery Circuit Technology

Clean TeQ Water’s MBIX platform is designed for continuous counter-current ion exchange operation using moving resin beds, with the technology applied across water treatment, industrial processing, and metals recovery applications.

Sunrise retains exclusive rights to MBIX for scandium, nickel, and cobalt, while Clean TeQ Water can apply the platform more broadly in areas including uranium, rare earths, and other high-value critical minerals.

The Syerston engagement builds on the companies’ existing technical collaboration and moves Clean TeQ Water from preliminary work into engineering and early works for the project’s ion exchange and refinery packages.

Sunrise can suspend or terminate the engagement under terms typical for this type of contract, in which case it remains liable for work completed and third-party commitments already placed but Clean TeQ Water would not receive the remaining estimated value.

The contract therefore provides Clean TeQ Water with a defined FEED workstream and potential additional early works while preserving Sunrise’s discretion over the release of the A$3.4m provisional component.