Critical Metals Climbs on $2.2B Refinery Plan, European Lithium Takeover Progress

Critical Metals Corp. (CRML) shares climbed 3.0% in afternoon trading after the company announced significant progress on two strategic fronts: a detailed plan for a rare earth refinery in Romania and a key legal milestone in its proposed acquisition of European Lithium.

'Mine-to-Metals' Strategy Unveiled

Critical Metals provided comprehensive details of a proposed joint venture refinery in Romania, a core component of its vertical integration strategy. The facility is designed to process eudialyte concentrate from the company’s Tanbreez Rare Earth Project in Greenland.

According to the company's plan, the project includes:

• A projected annual revenue of approximately $2.2 billion, before operating costs and taxes.
• A preliminary capital expenditure (CAPEX) estimate of $1.85 billion.
• A net present value (NPV) with a 10% discount rate of approximately $4.5 billion.

The refinery is slated to process up to 100,000 tons of concentrate per year, yielding about 27,943 tons of rare earth and critical metal products annually. The company also highlighted three proprietary process innovations intended to enhance the project's economics and minimize waste.

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Acquisition Milestone

Adding to the positive news, Critical Metals reported a significant step forward in its planned takeover of European Lithium. On September 15, the Supreme Court of Western Australia granted orders for European Lithium to convene shareholder meetings in October 2026.

These meetings will allow shareholders and optionholders to vote on the proposed all-scrip acquisition by Critical Metals, valued at approximately $1.16 billion. If approved, the deal would consolidate ownership of the Tanbreez project and eliminate cross-holding dilution, which is expected to strengthen the company's long-term capital structure.

Market Context

The stock's advance to a session high of $6.95 was driven by these company-specific catalysts, outperforming the broader market. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite posted more modest gains of approximately 0.3% and 0.7%, respectively, as investors remained cautious ahead of an anticipated Federal Reserve interest rate decision. The combination of a detailed refinery study and progress on a key acquisition provided investors with a clear basis for the stock's outperformance.