Ionic adsorption clays (IAC) are formed by the natural weathering of rare earth (RE) bearing minerals and the subsequent adsorption of the rare earth elements (REEs) onto the clay surface. They can be leached from these regolith-hosted clays using only a dilute ammonium sulphate solution. Generally, the costs for extracting from such deposits are economic with very low processing costs. It is thus an attractive process if applicable. A test work organised by iTech Minerals at a commercial laboratory to extract the REEs from a clay sample achieved minimal extraction. iTech contacted METS and a metallurgical test work program was developed and executed. It consisted of ore beneficiation, REE extraction by ion exchange desorption, sulfuric acid baking followed by water leaching, hydrochloric acid leaching and their combinations. The work revealed that the material was not an ionic clay but beneficiation by simple screening resulted in almost doubling of the REE grade while also producing a kaolin by-product. Leaching with hydrochloric acid, yielded an average of 87% extraction of the REEs including more than 90% of the neodymium, while allowing also almost complete recycling of the unconsumed acid. Clearly, these would have a substantial positive impact on the CAPEX and OPEX of its application.