The race is on. It seems like there are a lot of junior miners out there working on new or improved technology to process or refine their commodity in a better, more efficient manner. This makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Obviously, the world is on a decarbonization kick, so it’s only a matter of time before the carbon footprint of the raw materials starts to come into focus. It will help differentiate you from any competitors out there mining the same mineral, assuming you have any. If you happen to be fortunate enough to be located in a jurisdiction that is close to the demand centers and has abundant clean energy (like hydroelectric power) then that could make you the #1 supplier of a commodity.

One entity looking to control its own destiny, while being fortunate enough to be located in a key jurisdiction, is Imperial Mining Group Ltd. (TSXV: IPG | OTCQB: IMPNF). Imperial is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its technology metals projects in Québec, Canada. The Company’s flagship Crater Lake Scandium-Rare Earth property is located 200 km northeast of Schefferville, Québec, and is accessible via fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter. The property consists of 96 contiguous claims covering 47.0 km², owned 100% by Imperial. The Company is led by an experienced team of mineral exploration and development professionals with a strong track record of mineral deposit discovery in numerous metal commodities.

In mid-2022, Imperial announced the results of a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Crater Lake TG Zone Scandium (Sc) – Rare Earth Element (REE) deposit from Imperial’s independent consultants WSP Canada. The results show positive cash flow, strong Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and positive Net Present Value (NPV) metrics at discount rates of up to 15% for a potential mining operation at the Crater Lake project. Highlights of the PEA include: a pre-tax NPV of C$2.97 billion and an after-tax NPV of C$1.72 billion (10% discount rate); pre-tax IRR is 42.9% and an after-tax IRR of 32.8%; and a pre-tax capital payback of 2.5 years from the start of production.

All of the PEA information was completed prior to the summer drilling program where the Company completed a total of 8 drillholes for 1,663.0 m. Results were encouraging and give inference to grade and tonnage increases to the TG North Lobe Deposit resource. Drilling indicates that the southern portion of the TG scandium Zone is composed of two different Sc bearing ferrosyenites and hosts a higher proportion of the higher-grade pyroxene-rich ferrosyenite. The mineralization of both Sc-bearing ferrosyenite zones is open at depth below the 200 m vertical level and along strike and appears to show great potential for additional scandium mineralization. With all of the results in, Imperial plans to undertake an updated 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate with the goal of converting all of the Inferred Mineral Resources into the Indicated or Measured Mineral Resources category.

With all that said, the Company’s latest news is my main focus today. Imperial Mining just announced the filing of patent applications for its two-stage hydrometallurgical methods and processes for the extraction of scandium and rare earth elements from Crater Lake project mineralization titled “HIGH PRESSURE CAUSTIC LEACH METHODS AND PROCESSES FOR RECOVERY OF SCANDIUM AND RARE-EARTH OXIDES”. Imperial also provided an update on the Crater Lake Scandium Project flowsheet development program which commenced in early 2022 at SGS Canada, Quebec City and Peterborough and is partially financed by a $245,355 grant from the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The flowsheet development program was focused on further optimization of the mineral processing flowsheet by rejecting olivine, a non-Sc-REE-bearing mineral from the mineral concentrate and processing the olivine-depleted mineral concentrate through the patent-pending high-pressure caustic leach process for recovery of Sc and REE. During the flowsheet development program, Imperial invented a patentable process for rejecting olivine from the scandium-bearing mineral concentrate.

I won’t begin to try and explain the science of what this all means other than to say simpler is usually better. The easier and more efficiently you can do something typically equates to a lower carbon footprint and less of an environmental liability. Just having the right, in-demand resource isn’t good enough anymore, at least in most parts of the world. The production of that resource has to be done in a responsible, sustainable manner. This C$15 million market cap company is taking steps to be a leading-edge processor of Sc and REE which could help propel them to the top of the supply chain.

Chris Thompson interviews Imperial Mining Group Ltd.‘s (TSXV: IPG | OTCQB: IMPNF) CEO and President Peter Cashin about an update on their Crater Lake Project in Quebec. Speaking about their newly discovered high-grade scandium zone, Peter explains how the discovery will positively impact the economics of the Crater Lake Project.

Peter goes on to provide an update on their collaboration agreement with Développement Economique Sept-îles Inc to establish Imperial Mining’s scandium, rare earths and scandium-aluminum master alloys facility within the boundaries of the City of Sept-Iles. Recognized as a critical mineral in the US, Canada, Australia, and EU, Peter discusses how adding very small quantities of scandium to aluminum increases strength by up to 800%. Peter also provides an update on Imperial Mining’s recently closed private placement which added new high net worth international investors as shareholders.

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About Imperial Mining Group Ltd.

Imperial is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its technology metals projects in Québec. Imperial is publicly listed on the TSX Venture Exchange as “IPG” and on the OTCQB Exchange as “IMPNF” and is led by an experienced team of mineral exploration and development professionals with a strong track record of mineral deposit discovery in numerous metal commodities.

To learn more about Imperial Mining Group Ltd., click here

Disclaimer: Imperial Mining Group Ltd. is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.

This interview, which was produced by InvestorIntel Corp., (IIC), does not contain, nor does it purport to contain, a summary of all the material information concerning the “Company” being interviewed. IIC offers no representations or warranties that any of the information contained in this interview is accurate or complete.

This presentation may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and assumptions of the management of the Company as of the date made. They are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual events/results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties, including those that the Company does not know about now or that it currently deems immaterial, may also adversely affect the Company’s business or any investment therein.

Any projections given are principally intended for use as objectives and are not intended, and should not be taken, as assurances that the projected results will be obtained by the Company. The assumptions used may not prove to be accurate and a potential decline in the Company’s financial condition or results of operations may negatively impact the value of its securities. Prospective investors are urged to review the Company’s profile on Sedar.com and to carry out independent investigations in order to determine their interest in investing in the Company.

If you have any questions surrounding the content of this interview, please contact us at +1 416 792 8228 and/or email us direct at [email protected].

To me scandium sounds like it should be a country between Finland and Sweden in the Baltic Sea, but then again a lot of people have considered some of my thoughts pretty strange. However, scandium is becoming a critical metal of growing importance in aluminum alloys for auto, commercial aircraft, military armor and EV development, significantly reducing weight and manufacturing costs. It’s used as a hardener and strengthener of common aluminum alloys, which are also heat and corrosion resistant. Its weight reduction applications in the automotive, aerospace, fuel cell and defense sectors in turn help reduce the overall carbon footprint by making aircraft and vehicles lighter and more fuel-efficient with lower emissions. Because of these tremendous applications, demand is expected to grow considerably from the current 35 tonnes per annum of product availability to western markets to as high as 2,000 tonnes by 2040.

Source: Imperial Mining Group Corporate Presentation

Obviously, I don’t need to comment on the importance of supply chains, “on-shoring”, etc. in light of what the world has seen over the last year or two. We’ll suffice it to say that domestic is better. Which leads us to today’s topic of conversation – Imperial Mining Group Ltd. (TSXV: IPG | OTCQB: IMPNF). Imperial is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its Crater Lake scandium-Rare Earth property led by an experienced team of mineral exploration and development professionals with a strong track record of mineral deposit discovery in numerous metal commodities. The Company also has a pair of gold prospects, Opawica and La Ronciere all in Quebec.

However, what makes Crater Lake so special is that it is the only hardrock scandium deposit in the world and happens to be in the mining friendly jurisdiction of Quebec, close to hydroelectric capacity and Quebec’s aluminum metal production where 90% of Canada’s “Green” aluminum is produced. As well, it is looking like Bécancour in Quebec is becoming Canada’s battery cathode manufacturing hub with recent announcements from BASF regarding a cathode active materials and recycling site to support North American producers in their transition to e-mobility and General Motors and POSCO Chemical’s $400 million facility to produce cathode active materials for vehicle batteries. It would appear that Imperial could borrow a line from the real estate business and say their project is all about location, location, location.

Source: Imperial Mining Group March 15, 2022 Press Release

It also doesn’t hurt that Crater Lake already has 43-101 compliant resource estimate. In September Imperial received the inaugural NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Crater Lake TG Zone Mineral Resource Estimate.

Source: Imperial Mining Group Ltd. press release Sep 23, 2021

The results of the Resource Estimate for the Northern Lobe of the TG Zone far exceeded the minimum threshold resource Imperial internally set for a 20-25-year notional mining operation, or 10 million tonnes. And the good news is mineralization remains open laterally and at depth, demonstrating the potential to increase the mineral resource with additional drilling.

The Company has plenty of catalysts over the next several months to keep the news flow coming for investors. Work on a 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on the TG Zone scandium-rare earth zone resource is progressing and is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. A diamond drill program on the TG Zone (Northern Lobe and Southern Lobe) will commence in late June with up to 22 diamond drill holes for approximately 2,500 m. In addition, there is excellent potential to expand the mineral resources with further drilling on the Southern Lobe. In late Fall 2022, the new drill hole data from the summer program will be forwarded to a consultant to revise and update the previous 43-101 Resource Estimate of the TG Zone. This revised resource will allow Imperial to move forward with a Pre-Feasibility (PFS) or Feasibility (FS) Study.

During Summer 2021, Imperial collected a 50-tonnes bulk sample for use in a pilot plant study. It is expected that the remaining 32-tonnes will be shipped to Sept-Iles, QC by the end of July 2022 to be used in a pilot plant study to further test and optimize Imperial’s patent-pending metallurgical process method. Additionally, Imperial has commissioned a hydrometallurgical flowsheet development program based on its patent pending two-stage hydrometallurgical method for the extraction of scandium and rare earth elements with SGS Canada. The program, which started on January 31, 2022, is partially financed from a $245,355 grant from the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources with expected completion at the end of Q3 2022. Results from the work will aid in the engineering design of Imperial’s pilot program for the Crater Lake project for later in 2022.

As you can see, there is plenty on the go at Imperial Mining Group and the good news is they started May with C$2.8 M in working capital and virtually no debt. The Company currently has a market cap of C$14.7 million representing plenty of opportunities for a potential domestic supplier of an up and coming critical material.

In a recent InvestorIntel interview, Tracy Weslosky spoke with Peter Cashin, President and CEO of Imperial Mining Group Ltd. (TSXV: IPG | OTCQB: IMPNF) about the scandium supply chain challenges and about Imperial Mining’s R&D initiatives to work with a top alloy producer to develop new scandium-modified aluminum alloys and applications, as they work towards securing off-take agreements with strategic end-user partners.

In this InvestorIntel interview, which may also be viewed on YouTube (click here to subscribe to the InvestorIntel Channel), Peter Cashin pointed out the limited scandium production capacity globally and went on to highlight that China and Russia are today the two primary scandium producers in the world. As “a North American source of the highest-grade scandium opportunity,” Peter highlighted the competitive advantages of Imperial Mining’s Crater Lake Scandium‐Rare Earth property located in Canada’s aluminum capital – Québec. He went on to explain how scandium alloys can help reduce carbon footprint and also increase the range of electric vehicles making Imperial Mining attractive to ESG investors.

To watch the full interview, click here

About Imperial Mining Group Ltd.

Imperial is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its technology metals projects in Québec. Imperial is publicly listed on the TSX Venture Exchange as “IPG” and on the OTCQB Exchange as “IMPNF” and is led by an experienced team of mineral exploration and development professionals with a strong track record of mineral deposit discovery in numerous metal commodities.

To learn more about Imperial Mining Group Ltd., click here

Disclaimer: Imperial Mining Group Ltd. is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.

This interview, which was produced by InvestorIntel Corp., (IIC), does not contain, nor does it purport to contain, a summary of all the material information concerning the “Company” being interviewed. IIC offers no representations or warranties that any of the information contained in this interview is accurate or complete.

This presentation may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and assumptions of the management of the Company as of the date made. They are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual events/results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties, including those that the Company does not know about now or that it currently deems immaterial, may also adversely affect the Company’s business or any investment therein.

Any projections given are principally intended for use as objectives and are not intended, and should not be taken, as assurances that the projected results will be obtained by the Company. The assumptions used may not prove to be accurate and a potential decline in the Company’s financial condition or results of operations may negatively impact the value of its securities. Prospective investors are urged to review the Company’s profile on Sedar.com and to carry out independent investigations in order to determine their interest in investing in the Company.

If you have any questions surrounding the content of this interview, please contact us at +1 416 792 8228 and/or email us direct at [email protected].

The September 30, 2020 White House Executive Order (‘EO’) on critical minerals is just what was needed to give a huge boost to the mining sector. Not sure why ‘scandium’ and the ‘rare earth group’ was listed separately in the EO, since scandium is considered a rare earth, but the end result is that this has escalated market interest in this critical material.

One of the 35 critical minerals is ‘scandium’, used mostly for the purpose of lightweighting, scandium-modified aluminum alloys have equivalent yield and tensile strength to steel and titanium alloy but are 1/3 the weight of steel and 40% lighter than titanium.

Declaring this “a national emergency“, the EO states that the US intends to support companies that have “projects that support domestic supply chains” and “the establishment of secure critical minerals supply chains”, which could reasonably be expected to include Canadian projects such as Imperial Mining Group Ltd. (TSXV: IPG).

Peter Cashin, President, CEO and Director of Imperial Mining Group, which own their flagship scandium-rare earth Crater Lake Property in northeastern Quebec, commented to InvestorIntel when asked on their thoughts on the EO with the following:

“President Trump’s Executive Order should force an orderly build-up of the necessary steps required to secure a domestic supply chain for rare earth materials. In addition to the European Unions expressed push to lessen Chinese import dependence, our hope is that the order will apply to development of the significant critical mineral resources that exist in Canada.”

What is driving this market demand? Available scandium oxide supply today is estimated at just 25 to 35 metric tonnes per year, insufficient for widespread adoption of scandium-aluminum (“Sc-Al”) alloys for automotive, aerospace and defense sectors where they can be used for high-strength applications and in sectors in which lightweighting is essential. In addition to Sc-Al alloys, scandium is used in the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (“SOFC”) industry because of its heat stabilization and electrical conductivity characteristics. In essence, the competitive advantage of scandium is as a hardener in aluminum alloys, which is what renders them corrosion-and thermal-resistant.

If your not familiar with the Imperial Mining Group Ltd. (TSXV: IPG), Imperial’s Crater Lake Property has a large diameter complex which is host to high-grade scandium and niobium deposits. Scandium oxide grades to date have been very good ranging from 0.0235% to 0.0319% (235-319g/t). Other drill results have included 528g/t scandium oxide over 8.8 meters, showing the high grade potential of the Crater Lake Project.

The company expects the Crater Lake Project to be a small open-pit operation with an on-site magnetic concentrator and/or sensor-based sorting. It is anticipated that the project will be low CapEx, OpEx due to the higher grades and expected simple process recovery methods.

Imperial Mining is currently working to expand the resource and have recently discovered several new areas of scandium mineralization. These new showings lie within the same 14-km arcuate magnetic trend hosting the three previously defined mineralized zones (Boulder, TGZ and STG) on the property. Assay results are expected very soon.

Crater Lake’s 14-km arcuate magnetic trend hosting the three previously defined mineralized zones (Boulder, TGZ and STG)

Source

Peter Cashin states: “The new discoveries are extremely positive news for Imperial in view of the rapidly growing demand and limited supply for this important new technology metal……Currently, scandium is only produced as a minor by-product in China and Russia and, with supplies limited, it is our belief that Crater Lake represents an important alternative, primary scandium supply source to serve western consuming markets.”

A new US Executive Order to boost critical mineral mining, strong management, a high grade growing scandium-rare earths asset in a good mining jurisdiction, and a growing need for scandium and rare earths elements all combine to support Imperial Mining Group. Due to the early stage the current market cap is only C$9m.