The Wicheeda rare earth carbonatite deposit has a measured mineral resource of 6.4 Mt averaging 2.86% total rare earth oxide (“TREO”) and an indicated mineral resource of 27.8 Mt averaging 1.84% TREO at a cutoff grade of 0.5% TREO. Mineralization comprises synchysite/parisite, bastnaesite, and monazite dominantly in a dolomite matrix. Beneficiation tests on multiple samples as well as a pilot plant have demonstrated 80% recovery into a mineral concentrate containing 50% TREO. Bench and pilot plant hydrometallurgical tests have shown a TREO recovery from concentrate to final product exceeding 90%. The proposed plant includes sulphuric acid baking, water leaching, and impurity removal by MgO precipitation followed by ion exchange for uranium removal. In an innovative approach for an acid bake solution, rare earths are precipitated with ammonium bicarbonate. The precipitate filtrate is treated with lime to precipitate Mg (as Mg(OH)2), Mn, and most of the SO4. NH3 is simultaneously volatilized and recycled internally. The barren filtrate from the above step is recycled to the water leach step. Sodium carbonate was considered as a possible rare earth precipitant. However, recycling of an Na-bearing filtrate to water leach was not possible because of double sulphate precipitation leading to reduced extractions. Testwork established that minor amounts of ammonium ions sent to water leaching do not cause double sulphate precipitation. The proposed beneficiation and hydrometallurgical plants have been designed at a pre-feasibility study level of detail, and capital and operating costs generated.