ValOre Signs MoU with German Federal Geoscience Agency BGR to Advance Processing of Weathered PGE Mineralization at Pedra Branca
The German government supports bioleaching technology for ValOre’s Pedra Branca PGE project.
ValOre Metals Corp. (VO) has entered a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and its subdivision DERA to collaborate on the BioPlat research project. The partnership aims to advance innovative, low-emission metallurgical and mineral processing technologies, specifically bioleaching and hydrometallurgical methods, for platinum group element mineralization at the company’s 100%-owned Pedra Branca Project in Brazil.
The initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). ValOre’s contribution is in-kind, providing samples, technical data, and logistical support, while each party covers its own costs. The collaboration builds on previous Phase I and II metallurgical testwork that achieved up to 73% platinum and 74% palladium extraction from weathered material.
Weathered material comprises approximately 30% of the total inferred resource at Pedra Branca, making the development of an effective processing route a critical technical priority.
ValOre Metals Corp. (VO) has secured a memorandum of understanding that provides independent, government-backed validation of the bioleaching pathway for weathered ore, directly addressing a key technical risk ahead of the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). The financial impact of the arrangement is neutral to positive, as ValOre incurs no direct cash outlay for the research, with the German government covering the majority of the project costs.
The announcement follows the March 2026 metallurgical results and the February 2026 Phase II approval, representing an expected progression in the technical development roadmap rather than a sudden market-moving event. Additionally, the partnership strengthens the project's ESG profile and aligns with European supply chain diversification goals, potentially enhancing future strategic interest or offtake discussions.
ValOre Metals Corp. (VO) is a precious metals exploration and development company focused on the Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE) project in Ceará State, Brazil. The project covers 51,096 hectares across 45 exploration licenses and is 100% owned by the company.
The 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource totals 2.198 moz 2PGE+Au in 63.6 Mt grading 1.08 g/t 2PGE+Au. The resource is distributed across near-surface deposits, with weathered material comprising ~30%, fresh material ~70%, and chromitite material ~5%.
The company is advancing the project from exploration toward pre-development, targeting a PEA by the end of 2026. Management is transitioning the company from a pure exploration entity to an integrated precious metals producer, leveraging Brazil's permitting environment and the project's near-surface nature.