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Don Bubar of Avalon Advanced Materials on delivering lithium for batteries and advanced ceramics

In this Critical Minerals Institute interview, host Jack Lifton talks to Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.‘s (TSX: AVL | OTCQB: AVLNF) President, CEO and Director Don Bubar about establishing a North American lithium supply chain and Avalon’s new off-take agreement with a major international glass-ceramics manufacturer for petalite concentrates.

In the interview, which can also be viewed in full on the InvestorIntel YouTube channel (click here to access InvestorChannel.com), Don talks about the competitive advantages of building Avalon’s lithium refinery in Thunder Bay, Ontario. In addition to having recently signed an MOU with LG Energy Solution to supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide starting in 2025, Don tells Jack: “The main reason for establishing it there was also to basically open the door to other producers of lithium mineral concentrates from the many, many lithium pegmatites that occur throughout Northwestern Ontario…” In addition to lithium, Don says that Avalon provides exposure to multiple other minerals like rare earths, tantalum, and cesium.

Don also talks about a recently announced multi-year agreement for Avalon to supply a non-Chinese international glass ceramic manufacturer with petalite concentrates. “High strength glass ceramic products of various types,” Don tells Jack, “that’s a market you don’t hear a whole lot about for lithium. It is growing now too through further innovation in other types of high strength glass products and ceramic products.”

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About Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company specializing in sustainably-produced materials for clean technology. The Company now has four advanced stage projects, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, cesium and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on developing its Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora, Ontario while continuing to advance other projects, including its 100%-owned Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum-Lithium Project located near Fort Hope, Ontario. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.

To learn more about Avalon Advanced Materials Inc., click here

Disclaimer: Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. 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].




Don Bubar of Avalon Advanced Materials on signing key new agreements and the high demand for lithium

In this InvestorIntel interview, host Tracy Weslosky talks to Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.‘s (TSX: AVL | OTCQB: AVLNF) President, CEO and Director Don Bubar about the growing world demand for lithium for high strength glass ceramics, and its recent announcement that it has secured a firm commitment to purchase petalite concentrates produced at the company’s Separation Rapids Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada.

In the interview, which can also be viewed in full on the InvestorIntel YouTube channel (click here to access InvestorChannel.com), Don tells Tracy that most people are aware of the growing importance of lithium in EV battery technology, but “one of the main uses from the past has always been in high strength glass ceramic products… It’s actually the mineral that Corning used to invent CorningWare cookware, which was one of the first examples of high strength glass ceramic product.” He goes on to say that there is increasing demand and innovative uses for other types of high strength glass ceramic products that require the high purity lithium aluminum silicate mineral petalite produced by Avalon. Don also discusses the new multi-year off-take agreement recently announced by Avalon for the delivery of petalite to a major non-Chinese international glass ceramic manufacturer.

Don also talks about Avalon being one of the three companies to sign a non-binding memorandum of understanding with LG Energy Solution to supply them with a battery-grade lithium hydroxide starting in 2025. The MOU was signed during the visit of South Korea’s President, Yoon Suk Yeol, to Canada in September. Under the terms of the MOU, Avalon would commit for an initial period of five years to provide LGES with at least 50% of its planned initial lithium hydroxide production. Don adds: “We’ve been getting the message out on our vision for creating the lithium battery materials refinery in Thunder Bay, and that would be an ideal location to serve the needs of companies that are now going to set up manufacturing facilities in Southern Ontario.”

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About Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company specializing in sustainably-produced materials for clean technology. The Company now has four advanced stage projects, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, cesium and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on developing its Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora, Ontario while continuing to advance other projects, including its 100%-owned Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum-Lithium Project located near Fort Hope, Ontario. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.

To learn more about Avalon Advanced Materials Inc., click here

Disclaimer: Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. 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].




Avalon Advanced Materials Don Bubar on the Acceleration of the Separation Rapids Lithium Project

In this InvestorIntel interview with host Tracy Weslosky, Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.‘s (TSX: AVL | OTCQB: AVLNF) President, CEO and Director Don Bubar talks about their lithium extraction technology and about securing a $3M convertible security funding to accelerate Separation Rapids Lithium Project.

In the interview, which can also be viewed in full on the InvestorIntel YouTube channel (click here to access InvestorChannel.com), Don starts, “We’ve been in this space for 25 years…while 25 years ago was a bit early for battery materials, we knew it would have a day and that day has finally come.” Don also provides an update on reactivating Avalon’s East Kemptville Tin Project which “was the only ever primary tin producer in North American history.” Emphasizing how tin has emerged as a very important technology metal due to its growing usage in many technology applications, Don talks about Avalon creating a new supply.

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About Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company specializing in sustainably-produced materials for clean technology. The Company now has four advanced stage projects, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, cesium and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on developing its Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora, Ontario while continuing to advance other projects, including its 100%-owned Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum-Lithium Project located near Fort Hope, Ontario. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.

To learn more about Avalon Advanced Materials Inc., click here

Disclaimer: Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. 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].




Avalon to Build a Lithium Processing Facility as Ontario Adopts an Unprecedented Industrial Policy to Become the Global Leader in the Critical Material Supply Chain

First, it was China, then the USA, Australia, and now Canada; developing a critical minerals strategy to support the green revolution this decade.

Last week the Ontario Government announced that the: “Province’s First-Ever Critical Minerals Strategy Positions Ontario as Global Leader. Strategy will unleash Ontario’s mineral potential and support a made-in-Ontario electric vehicle supply chain…….The Critical Minerals Strategy is a five year roadmap to: better connect the mines in the north with the manufacturing sector in the south, in particular to Ontario-based electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing; tap into new and growing markets, including electric vehicles, batteries, telecommunications and national defense; and secure Ontario’s place in the global supply chain for decades to come.”

(Note: Bold emphasis by the author.)

As part of the announcement, the Province is investing $24 million over three years toward Ontario’s Junior Exploration Program. Industry insiders have told InvestorIntel they expect this is just the beginning and expect “funding to support development of the mid-stream processing capacity will be a much bigger number”.

For investors now is the time to start looking at promising critical minerals companies with projects in Ontario, Canada. Today’s company fits the bill perfectly with multiple critical mineral projects in Ontario.

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (TSX: AVL | OTCQB: AVLNF) (Avalon) has three projects in Ontario, Canada, and five in total throughout Canada. The projects have exposure to lithium, tin, rubidium and indium; as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, cesium and zirconium. Avalon’s most advanced project is the Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora in Ontario. Avalon is working on a plan for a JV to build a lithium-ion battery materials refinery in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Avalon’s Projects summary

  • Separation Rapids Lithium Project (Ontario) (100% owned) 2018 PEA completed.
  • Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum- Lithium Project (Ontario) (100% owned) Exploration stage.
  • Warren Township Feldspar Project (Ontario) (100% owned renewable lease) – PFS completed.
  • Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements Property (Northwest Territories) (100% owned lower zone)Feasibility Study stage (ownership is below a depth of 150 metres including the Basal Zone deposit).
  • East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project (Nova Scotia) (100% owned)PEA stage.

Given the past 15 months 11x surge in the price of lithium (and huge demand forecasts this decade), Avalon has decided to focus on developing its Separation Rapids Lithium Project, while continuing to advance other projects, including re-activating its Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum-Lithium Project. Both Avalon’s lithium projects are in Ontario, Canada.

REF: An update on Avalon’s progress to develop their Ontario lithium projects

Separation Rapids Lithium Project

At Avalon’s Separation Rapids Lithium Project the Company is working on acquiring a demonstration scale dense media separation (DMS) plant to begin processing the 5,000t bulk sample collected earlier in 2022. Next Avalon will begin producing the lithium bearing mineral, petalite, concentrate product samples for glass ceramic end-users that have expressed interest and for further battery materials testwork.

At the Snowbank petalite pegmatite discovery made in 2018, Avalon’s latest results were successful to extend the known strike length by 50% to 127 metres and confirmed the widespread presence of coarse grained petalite mineralization. Avalon is now planning to proceed with a winter diamond drilling program to begin to delineate the size potential of the new Snowbank discovery as well as testing several other lithium pegmatites in the same area. Preparation of the necessary access trails is underway and work toward securing the necessary drilling permits is progressing.

The current 2017 M& I Resource estimate of the Project is 8.2MT at 1.37% Li2O and 0.36% Rb2O plus Inferred 1.2MT at 1.33% Li2O and 0.361% Rb2O.

Source: Avalon Advanced Materials company presentation

Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum-Lithium Project

In September 2021 Avalon reported results that confirmed the exceptional cesium enrichment in several Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT) pegmatite dyke occurrences at the Lilypad Project. LCT deposits are more valuable lithium projects due to having valuable by-products of cesium and tantalum. Sub-samples assay results averaged 3.02% Cs2O, 1.07% Li2O and 0.03% Ta2O5, similar to the average grade of the historic resource. Avalon stated: “The Pollucite Dyke, with a historic resource estimate of 340,000 tons grading 2.294% Cs2O and 0.037% Ta2O5 based on 9 holes drilled to a maximum vertical depth of 250 metres and along a strike length of just 140 metres, remains open for expansion to depth and along strike.”

Note: Historical Resources are not yet to be relied upon.

Given the surge in lithium prices, I would not be surprised to see Avalon look to discover further lithium on the property. Avalon says that their next steps will be to plan for a diamond drilling program to test all the new targets including the western extension of the Pollucite Dyke.

Thunder Bay battery metals refinery

In 2020, Avalon signed a LOI with Rock Teck Lithium to build a lithium refinery in Thunder Bay. However since then, the plan has evolved with Avalon stating (regarding the Rock Teck JV): “So, while we have not ruled out the possibility of partnering on a plant (in Thunder Bay), it seems less likely now given that we are now going down different paths in terms of scale, process flowsheet and types of products.” In a February 2022 update, Avalon stated: “Still planning to establish a new lithium battery materials refinery in Thunder Bay. Lots of interest from international consumers of lithium battery materials and planning a partnership arrangement.”

Avalon is working on a plan to build a JV lithium refinery in Thunder Bay, Ontario; with one or possibly two of their lithium projects as potential feed

Source: Avalon Advanced Materials company presentation

Closing remarks

Avalon Advanced Minerals trades on a market cap of only C$52 million which seems extraordinary given they have 5 projects in Canada, several of which are reasonably advanced. Also, the fact that several projects contain very high value minerals such as lithium, tin, rubidium and several rare earths.

Don’t miss this opportunity.




The Post-COP26 World Looks To Australia For Future Non-Chinese Rare Earths Production

To achieve U.N. climate change management goals the world needs to shift rapidly to clean energy, and that means we need to build or secure, reliable sources of rare earths. While the USA and Canada have made some progress in this direction, Australia will also be needed to play a key role.

When looking at a chart of rare earths reserves by country, China shows the largest reserves followed by Vietnam, Brazil, Russia, India, and Australia, in that order. The USA is ranked 8th and Canada is outside of the top ten. Given Australia’s stellar track record as a reliable supplier of raw materials, it should not be surprising to know that the West is looking towards Australia to step up production of rare earths, especially those needed to support the surging cleantech sectors of electric vehicles, wind energy, and solar energy.

ClearWorld.us says it well, stating:

“Renewable energy development relies upon sufficient quantities of rare earth minerals, specifically neodymium, terbium, indium, dysprosium, and praseodymium. These are used in the production of solar panels and wind turbines. If the world is to meet the greenhouse gas emissions targets sought in the Paris Climate Agreement the availability of these minerals must increase by 12 times by 2050.”

(Emphasis by the author.)

Rare earths are key elements in the cleantech revolution

Australian listed rare earths companies:

Producers

Lynas Rare Earths Limited (ASX: LYC) (“Lynas”)

Lynas is the second largest neodymium and praseodymium (“NdPr”) producer in the world. Lynas owns the Mt Weld rare earth mine, which is one of the world’s highest grade rare earths’ mines, and the Mt Weld ORE Concentration Plant, both located in Western Australia. Lynas also owns the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP), which is an integrated manufacturing facility, separating and processing rare earths’ materials in Malaysia. The Lynas 2025 growth strategy encompasses plans to build the Kalgoorlie Rare Earths Processing Facility (cracking and leaching) in Australia and an LRE/HRE separation and specialty materials facility in the USA. Lynas trades on a market cap of A$7.3 billion.

Iluka Resources Ltd. (ASX: ILU) (“Iluka”)

Iluka is a relatively new (April 2020) producer of rare earths at their Eneabba Project in Western Australia. Iluka intends to ramp to selling 50,000 tpa of a 20% monazite-zircon ore concentrate for further processing offshore. Iluka has an offtake agreement for 50,000 tpa. Iluka is working on developing a Phase 2 of the Eneabba Project which involves investigating techniques to beneficiate and purify the monazite to an 80% concentrate for sale further down the value chain. Iluka is mostly known for being an Australian heavy mineral sands, zirconium and titanium, producer. Iluka trades on a market cap of A$3.5 billion.

Vital Metals Limited (ASX: VML) (“Vital”)

Vital recently began mining ore at its Nechalacho’ Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT), with commencement of ore processing at Vital’s, under construction, Saskatoon cracking and leaching facility expected to begin in 2022. The Nechalacho Mine is a high grade, light rare earth (bastnaesite) project with a world-class resource of 94.7Mt at 1.46% REO (measured, indicated and inferred). Nechalacho’s North T Zone, which is being mined by Vital, hosts a high-grade resource of 101,000 tonnes at 9.01% LREO (2.2% NdPr). Vital has a non-binding MOU with Ucore Rare Metals Inc. for the supply to it of a mixed rare rare earth carbonate, beginning H1 2024. Vital Metals trades on a market cap of A$250 million.

Explorer/Developers (in alphabetical order):

Arafura Resources Limited (ASX: ARU) (“Arafura”)

Arafura 100% own the Nolan’s Bore rare earth project 135kms from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia. Arafura states: “The Project is underpinned by low-risk Mineral Resources that have the potential to supply a significant proportion of the world’s NdPr demand. It is a globally significant and strategic NdPr project which, once developed, will become a major supplier of these critical minerals to the high-performance NdFeB permanent magnet market.”

The deposit contains a JORC 2012-compliant Mineral Resources of 56 million tonnes at an average grade of 2.6% total rare earth oxides (TREO). 26.4% of the total rare earths contained are  NdPr. The Project is supported by Export Finance Australia (EFA), and the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), via non-binding letters of support for a proposed senior debt facility of up to A$200 million and A$100 million respectively. Arafura is looking to raise further funds to get the project started. Arafura recently stated: “The momentum with offtake discussion has enabled engagement to expand to include the options for strategic investment as part of the Nolan’s project funding.” Market cap is A$379 million.

Australian Rare Earths Limited (ASX: AR3) (“AREL”)

AREL is progressing in the exploration of a significant deposit of valuable ‘clay-hosted’ rare earth elements, located at their Koppamurra Project spread over ~4,000km²  of tenements in South Australia and Victoria. Past exploration of the Koppamurra region has shown it contains mineralization containing the rare earth elements neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium. The Koppamurra Project is an ‘ionic clay’ rare earth opportunity with a 2021 JORC Inferred Mineral Resource of 39.9Mt @ 725ppm TREO. AREL trades on a market cap of A$98 million.

Australian Strategic Materials Ltd. (ASX: ASM) (“ASM”)

ASM owns the Dubbo Rare Earths Project in NSW, Australia. The Dubbo Project is a 100% owned ‘construction ready’ poly-metallic and rare earths project with potential to become a key global supplier of specialty metals and rare earths. ASM’s goal is a “mine to metal” strategy to extract, refine and manufacture high-purity metals and alloys, supplying directly to global technology manufacturers. Market cap is A$1.92 billion.

Northern Minerals Limited (ASX: NTU)

Northern Minerals own the Browns Range heavy rare earth minerals project in Western Australia. Northern Minerals has built a pilot plant to test a number of deposits and prospects that contain high-value dysprosium and other Heavy Rare Earths (HREs) such as yttrium, hosted in xenotime mineralization.

The Company states: “Northern Minerals is positioned to become the world’s first significant producer of dysprosium outside of China. Accounting for 60% of the Browns Range Project’s (the Project) revenue, dysprosium is the key value driver of the Project and is at the core of Northern Minerals’ marketing strategy. With a high value, high purity, dysprosium rich product, the Company is set to become a long term and reliable supplier of dysprosium and other critical heavy rare earths to world markets.” Market cap is A$339 million.

Peak Resources Limited (ASX: PEK)

Peak Resources 75% owns the Ngualla Tanzania rare earth project, which the Company states is one of the world’s, largest and highest grade, undeveloped rare earth projects. The Ngualla Project has ore reserves of 18.5 million tonnes at 4.8% REO; 22% of the total mineral resource is NdPr, with an expected 26 year life of mine. The Project is currently at the funding stage having completed a BFS in 2017. The BFS summary details are here. About 90% of the Project’s revenues will be coming from NdPr. Peak Resources state: “Operating cost of US$ 34.20/kg NdPr* Oxide, demonstrating potential to be the world’s lowest-cost fully integrated rare earth development project.” Market cap is A$135 million.

Closing remarks

With rare earths demand set to grow strongly this decade as the world moves towards cleaner energy and technology, investors would be wise to take a second look at the rare earths sector.

Australian critical minerals projects were recently in the news after the Government announced that they would receive an A$2 billion boost (via a loan facility), to support the sector. This bodes well for the Australian rare earths junior miners to join Lynas as producers. Stay tuned as this sector looks set to shine this decade.




Can Avalon Advanced Materials ride the lithium tidal wave?

Lithium miners have been the best performing sector of almost every sector of the stock market over the past year. This has been due to a ‘tidal wave’ of new lithium demand as electric vehicle (EV) sales dramatically increased over the past year. For example global electric car market share more than doubled from 4.2% in calendar year 2020 to 8.7% in the month of June 2021. This has led to a surge in lithium demand and subsequently lithium prices in 2021.

Lithium prices (1 year chart) have risen rapidly due to a massive demand increase from booming EV sales

Source: Trading Economics

One under the radar lithium junior is Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (TSX: AVL | OTCQB: AVLNF) (“Avalon”). Avalon has six projects, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, cesium and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on developing their Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora, Ontario, while looking at several new project opportunities, one being a lithium hydroxide (and other materials) refinery in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. They are also working to advance their Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum Project, in Ontario, Canada.

Separation Rapids Lithium Project (100% owned; Ontario, Canada) + possible lithium battery materials refinery (Thunder Bay, Canada)

Avalon completed a PEA of their 100% owned Separation Rapids Lithium Project in 2018, resulting in a pre-tax NPV8% of $156 million, post tax IRR of 22.7%, CapEx C$77.7 million with a 20 year mine life.

Then in March 2021, Avalon announced a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) with Fort William First Nation (“FWFN”) to collaborate on the development of a lithium battery materials refinery located on industrial lands owned by FWFN in Thunder Bay, Ontario. As stated in the announcement: “This facility would be designed to accept lithium mineral concentrates from Avalon’s Separation Rapids Lithium Project (70 km north of Kenora) and Rock Tech’s Georgia Lake Lithium Project (145 km northeast of Thunder Bay), as well as potentially other emerging, new lithium mining operations in northern Ontario, to produce lithium hydroxide and other lithium battery materials.”

Then in May 2021, Avalon reported that their recent process testwork using dense media separation (“DMS”) technology had proven to be successful at producing a high-quality petalite lithium mineral concentrate (4.0% – 4.2% Li2O) from their Separation Rapids Lithium Project. The concentrate is suitable for the needs of specialty glass-ceramic end-users. As a result, Avalon is now looking at acquiring their own DMS equipment so they can more quickly meet the needs of the many end-users that have expressed interest over the years in their petalite product samples. Avalon will also resume exploration work this summer on the western part of the Separation Rapids property to further work towards growing their resource.

Avalon Advanced Materials Separation Rapids Lithium Project – PFS & PEA completed

Source: Company presentation

Announced in July 2021, Avalon is now in active discussion to potentially progress their lithium materials refinery in Thunder Bay. The release stated: “On the lithium battery materials market development work, Avalon continues to engage with potential customers looking for new supply sources and are in active conversation with one group in Europe. With a firm commitment on off-take, Avalon can then proceed with its plans for establishing a lithium refinery in Thunder Bay.”

Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum Project (100% owned; Ontario, Canada)

Avalon’s Lilypad Property, located 150 km northeast of Pickle Lake, Ontario, is an exploration stage project with cesium-tantalum-lithium mineralization. It has some potential to be a secondary lithium supply source for Avalon, however, cesium and tantalum are the key products for now.

In July 2021 news, Avalon stated: “Following the closing of the recent flow-through financing, an exploration work program was initiated in June on its 100% owned Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum Project involving re-establishing a field camp and new grid on the property in preparation for detailed mapping and geochemical sampling to commence later this month. Additional cesium mineralized rock was collected from the Pollucite Dyke for continued process research on techniques to efficiently concentrate the rare cesium mineral pollucite, which continues to be in high demand. Drilling is planned for later this year.”

Avalon Advanced Materials project pipeline

Source: Company presentation

Closing remarks

As evidenced by a recent record lithium spodumene spot market price achieved this past week of US$1,250/t (around 3x the contract prices from 12 months ago), there is now a new realization that lithium supply is critically low. This means it is a great time to be a lithium miner and it generally acts to boost the sentiment of the sector thereby helping lithium juniors raise capital and hopefully reach production.

Avalon Advanced Materials is not only a junior lithium miner, as they have a total of 6 projects across multiple critical metals and rare earths. Key critical metals Avalon has are lithium, tantalum, cesium and zirconium; all are on the list of U.S critical materials. The Company trades on a market cap of only C$52 million. One to watch.




Avalon’s Don Bubar on developing a rare earths supply chain in Canada

“Interest in rare earths continues to ramp up. There is real concern about the security of supply of these critical materials outside of China. With the Executive Order that Trump implemented this summer means there is now funding available for companies aspiring to participate in developing that supply chain in the United States.” States Don Bubar, President, CEO and Director of Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (TSX: AVL | OTCQB: AVLNF), in an interview with InvestorIntel’s Tracy Weslosky.

Don went on to provide an update on Avalon’s collaborative development agreement on Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements Project with Cheetah Resources of Australia. He said that Cheetah Resources has taken ownership of one small part of the property where the resource was well suited for developing at a very small scale to get something in production quickly, make a concentrate that can be shipped and rare earths extracted to provide another source of rare earths to rapidly serve the needs in markets outside of China. Don also provided update on Avalon’s East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project and Separation Rapids Lithium Project. He said that the company is planning to use sensor-based ore sorting at the East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project. The work is in progress for testing the material to be able to use the technology and the initial results are encouraging.

To access the complete interview, click here

Disclaimer: Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.




Don Bubar on advancing Avalon’s rare earths, lithium and tin-indium projects towards small scale production

“We are making a lot of progress — moving all the three projects forward with that goal of achieving initial small-scale production within the next year or so…”, started Don Bubar, President, CEO and Director of Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (TSX: AVL | OTCQB: AVLNF), in an interview with InvestorIntel’s Tracy Weslosky.

Tracy Weslosky: Don, I want to start by congratulating you for winning PDAC’s distinguished service award. But first I want to congratulate you on the news you just announced where you provided an update on three of your projects as you race towards small scale production. How about we start with that?

Don Bubar: We are making a lot of progress. We haven’t had a tremendous amount of news flow over the last couple of months but that’s not because we have been working really hard. We are moving all the three projects forward with that goal of achieving initial small-scale production within the next year or so.

Tracy Weslosky: I continue to pound the issue of sustainability with our audience. We need these critical materials for technology applications. Let’s start with Nechalacho. What is happening there?

Don Bubar: We have a new partner there in Cheetah Resources, an Australian private company. They share our vision for the need for small scale rapid production to serve this rapidly growing deficit of the market for rare earths as soon as possible. They have agreed to work with us on that project. We actually have sold them one small part of it to allow them to take the lead on getting that going with our support of course to help them get started and create long term possibilities to grow that project.

Tracy Weslosky: And their investment is $5 million is that correct?

Don Bubar: That’s the initial purchase price. They will also be investing in whats needed to take the project to next stage of feasibility work and put it in production.

Tracy Weslosky: How did you get the Australians attracted to investing in North West Territories…to access the complete interview, click here

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