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The Critical Minerals Institute’s Jack Lifton on Vital Metals, the SRC and Ionic Clays and Rare Earths

In this InvestorIntel interview, Tracy Weslosky talks with Critical Minerals Institute’s (CMI) Co-Chairman Jack Lifton attempts to explain what Vital Metals Limited’s recent announcement about “pausing all construction-related activities at the Saskatoon processing facility” means. Clarifying and reinforcing what the Saskatoon Research Council (SRC) has stated online, we would like to redirect our audience to the SRC website where they state: “SRC wants to clarify that its Rare Earth Processing Facility currently under construction is on schedule and on budget and will be fully operational by the end of 2024.”

Jack also shares his insight on a column written by CMI Co-Chairman Ian Chalmers titled Are Ionic Adsorption Clay Deposits a Game-Changer for the Supply of Rare Earths. He then goes on to discuss Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp.’s (“Appia”) (CSE: API | OTCQX: APAAF) recent acquisition of a Brazilian rare earths ionic clay project, Explaining that ionic clays can be a source of critical heavy rare earths, he explains how Appia may be the “only possible provider of this super critical material for the North American market.”

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About The Critical Minerals Institute

The Critical Minerals Institute or CMI is an international organization for critical mineral companies and professionals focused on battery and technology materials, defense metals, and ESG technologies in the EV market. Offering a wide range of B2B service solutions, the Critical Minerals Institute hosts both online and in-person events designed for education, collaboration, and service solutions that address critical mineral challenges for a decarbonized economy.

To learn more about The Critical Minerals Institute, click here

Disclaimer: 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].




Critical Minerals Corner experts debate one of the most important minerals for sourcing rare earths

In this episode of Critical Minerals Corner, InvestorIntel Editor-in-Chief & Publisher Jack Lifton and Geologist and Newsletter Writer Byron King take on monazite — one of the most important and desirable mineral ores for sourcing rare earths. With guest Frederick Kozak, President of Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API | OTCQB: APAAF), Byron King explains that while it is very rare to find a monazite deposit, “it is extremely rare to find a really really good monazite deposit…”

“One of the hottest rare earth deposits you will ever see anywhere…” starts King, find out why Saskatchewan, Canada is critical to the production of rare earths in North America.

To access the complete episode of Critical Minerals Corner, click here

 




Canada’s entry point to a domestic North American rare earths products production center

Why is Appia Energy Corp.‘s (CSE: API | OTCQB: APAAF) Alces Lake discovery of an accessible extensive hard rock deposit of the rare earth bearing mineral, monazite, so very important to the non-Chinese world’s demand for magnet rare earths? It is because Appia’s monazite is, in fact, the neodymium rich variant, which is the most desirable for the production of rare earth permanent magnets. it is not only rich in neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr), but also contains 1% of xenotime, the best heavy rare earth bearing hard rock mineral.  

Monazites are typically up to 50% higher in contained Nd and Pr than bastnaesite, the ore mined at Mountain Pass by MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) and the residual mineral from China’s Baotou region iron mining, which up until recently was the world’s most-produced source mineral for light rare earths. Lynas Rare Earths Limited (ASX: LYC) is currently the world’s largest producer of rare earths derived from monazite deposits at Mt. Weld in a remote area of northern Australia.  

Monazites are produced today as a byproduct of the processing of heavy mineral sands to recover zircon and ilmenite, respectively the ores of zirconium and titanium. Until recently processing monazite for rare earths was inhibited by the fact that monazites always contain radioactive thorium and sometimes uranium. The monazites were thus returned to the tailings from these operations and in the USA the environmental regulations required that they be returned to the worked-out deposits and distributed so that the residual background radiation was equal to or less than it was before the deposit was worked. 

In the last five years as Chinese bastnaesite deposit grades have declined and mining created pollution has become a big problem in China the Chinese rare earth industry has begun to import very large quantities of monazites from the USA, Madagascar, South Africa, Brazil, and Australia. All of this material was produced as a byproduct of heavy mineral sands processing for zircon and ilmenite. 

In order to solve the thorium/uranium problem, China requires that all imports of monazite go first to China Nuclear Corporation, which removes the thorium and uranium, and then ships a clean mixed rare earth carbonate to the Chinese refiner that ordered the material. China nuclear is licensed to process up to 50,000 tons of monazite containing up to 30,000 tons of total rare earths a year.    

In the USA the only licensed uranium mill, Energy Fuels Inc.‘s (NYSE American: UUUU | TSX: EFR) White Mesa Utah facility, has replaced China as the destination for monazite produced from its heavy mineral sands operations in Georgia by US Chemical Group, Chemours. Energy Fuels removes the uranium, which is a payable for Energy Fuels, and is storing, legally, the thorium, which has been committed to a medical radioisotope group. The first clean mixed rare earth carbonate produced by Energy Fuels from the Chemours’ monazite has already been sold to and shipped to Neo Performance Materials Inc.‘s (TSX: NEO) European solvent extraction rare earth separation facility. 

Appia is working with Canada’s and the world’s most attractive (Report’s the Fraser Institute) mining investment jurisdiction, the Province of Saskatchewan. The Province’s Saskatchewan (Mining and Refining) Research Center, the SRC, has agreed to develop a hydrometallurgy for Appia’s monazite and the SRC has already designed and begun the construction of a 3000 ton per annum rare earth solvent extraction separation facility, where the separation and purification of Appia’s monazite will be proven and piloted in what will be Canada’s anchor for a total rare earth permanent magnet supply chain. Saskatchewan is the home of Canada’s uranium mining industry and so the sale of any recovered uranium and the storage (or use) of any recovered thorium is not a problem. 

North America is well on its way to becoming a world center of monazite processing, and Appia is Canada’s entry point to a domestic North American rare earth products production center. 




Chinese Dominance of Rare Earths Sets off Alarm Bells in Washington

In this episode of InvestorIntel’s Critical Minerals Corner with Jack Lifton, Jack talks about geopolitical issues with China and how regionalism is going to affect not just the interest and demand for rare earths, but for all critical minerals.

In this InvestorIntel video, which may also be viewed on YouTube (click here to subscribe to the InvestorIntel Channel), Jack went on to say that the Chinese dominance of the rare earths space has set off alarm bells not just in the US but also in EU and Canada. “I see the security of the supply of critical materials becoming a regional issue in this world,” he added. Jack highlighted that Canada is going ahead faster than the US in the critical materials space by developing several rare earths deposits for production and building the first full-scale rare earths separation plant in Saskatchewan.

To watch the full video, click here




Vital Metals’ Geoff Atkins on the race to produce rare earths in 2021

In a recent InvestorIntel interview, Tracy Weslosky speaks with Geoff Atkins, Managing Director of Vital Metals Limited (ASX: VML), about the market interest in Vital Metals and signing a binding term sheet with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) to negotiate a definitive agreements for the construction and operation of a rare earth extraction plant.

In this InvestorIntel interview, which may also be viewed on YouTube (click here to subscribe to the InvestorIntel Channel), Geoff started, “We are moving full steam ahead towards getting into production at Nechalacho Project in 2021.” He continued by saying that Vital Metals is closest to production in the rare earths space which draws a lot of interest, he mentioned, only one rare earths project went into production in the last decade.

Geoff also commented on the Vital Metals’ binding term sheet with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC). He said, “The Saskatchewan Research Council has a lot experience with rare earths and we have agreed with them that they will build and operate a rare earths extraction plant for us.”

To watch the full interview, click here

About Vital Metals Limited:

Vital Metals is an explorer and developer with highly prospective mineral projects, focusing on the world-class rare earth Nechalacho project in Canada. They plan to commence production at Nechalacho in 2021, and aims to produce a minimum 5,000 tonnes of contained REO by 2025. Vital Metals aims to become the lowest cost producer of mixed rare earth oxide outside of China by developing one of the highest grade rare earth deposits in the world and the only rare earth project capable of beneficiation solely by ore sorting. Vital’s other projects include the high-grade Wigu Hill rare earth resource in Tanzania.

To learn more about Vital Metals Limited, click here

Disclaimer: Vital Metals Limited is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.




Search Minerals’ Greg Andrews on the electrification of vehicles and the “push” for rare earth magnets

In a recent InvestorIntel interview, Tracy Weslosky speaks with Greg Andrews, President, CEO, and Director of Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY), about the electrification of vehicles and their collaboration agreements with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) and USA Rare Earth.

In this InvestorIntel interview, which may also be viewed on YouTube (click here to subscribe to the InvestorIntel Channel), Greg started, “The recent Canadian government’s, the US government’s, the EU government’s rule on electrification and reducing internal combustion vehicles is a push in the right space for electrification which of course uses rare earth magnets.” He continued by saying that in the last year the OEMs have been investing a lot of capital in electrification of vehicles which again requires a secure supply chain of rare earths to make their business plans operable.

“The collaboration agreements with both SRC and USA Rare Earth is a critical next step for us to turn our product into oxides.” Greg said. He added that Search Minerals is exploring the proven Solvent Extraction Process with SRC and Continuous Ion Exchange process with USA Rare Earth to get their projects off the ground.

To watch the full interview, click here

About Search Minerals Inc.

Led by a proven management team and board of directors, Search is focused on finding and developing Critical Rare Earths Elements (CREE), Zirconium (Zr) and Hafnium (Hf) resources within the emerging Port Hope Simpson – St. Lewis CREE District of South East Labrador. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and is road accessible, on tidewater, and located within 3 local communities. Search has completed a preliminary economic assessment report for FOXTROT, and a resource estimate for DEEP FOX. Search is also working on three exploration prospects along the belt which include: FOX MEADOW, SILVER FOX and AWESOME FOX.

Search has continued to optimize our patented Direct Extraction Process technology with the generous support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency. We have completed two pilot plant operations and produced highly purified mixed rare earth carbonate concentrate and mixed REO concentrate for separation and refining.

To learn more about Search Minerals Inc., click here

Disclaimer: Search Minerals Inc. is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.




MOU with the Saskatchewan Research Council signals another milestone for Search Minerals on their quest to produce rare earths in NA

A likely Biden victory in the USA is positive for all the rare earths miners. This is because one of Biden’s key policies is a massive $2 trillion green infrastructure and jobs plan over his first term in office that aims to have a US carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035. This would be a huge tailwind for the US renewable energy sector (solar and wind) as well as supportive to the US electric vehicle (EV) industry. Any North American rare earths suppliers who can potentially supply the USA and/or Canada with rare earths would be likely to benefit as North America embraces the green revolution.

One rare earth miner worth considering is Search Minerals Inc. (TSXV: SMY) (“Search”). Search is focused on finding and developing critical rare earth element mineral assets in Labrador, Canada.

In some very exciting recent news Search has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC). The MOU outlines a collaboration with SRC as they build their Rare Earth Processing Facility in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Search Minerals President and CEO, Greg Andrews, commented: “We anticipate using the (SRC) conventional solvent extraction process to enable Search to validate the ability to produce the individual rare earth oxides necessary to enter the rare earth supply chain.

Recent announcements regarding building electric cars in Canada and other government led initiatives for clean and green technology provides the framework for industry access to a secure rare earth supply chain in Canada. We believe Search is well positioned to capitalize on these opportunities.”

Search controls properties in three areas of Labrador, Canada. These are:

  • The Port Hope Simpson (PHS) Critical Rare Earth Element District in SE Labrador
  • The Henley Harbour Area in Southern Labrador
  • The Red Wine Complex located in Central Labrador

Search Minerals has nearby infrastructure in place at St. Lewis, Labrador, Canada

Source

Within the Port Hope Simpson District Search’s main discoveries are the Foxtrot Resource, Deep Fox, Fox Meadow, Silver Fox, and Awesome Fox deposits which contain rare earths including dysprosium (Dy), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), terbium (Tb), yttrium (Y), zirconium (Zr), and hafnium (Hf).

The district covers a 63 km long and 2 km wide belt. At Foxtrot the total Indicated Resource is 7.392 million tonnes with grades of neodymium oxide (1,732ppm), neodymium (1,485ppm), praseodymium (397ppm), and dysprosium (191ppm). The 14 year Life of Mine (LOM) Foxtrot Project offers an IRR of 16.7% on an after tax Net Present Value (NPV) 10% of $48M, with a CapEx of only $152M. The NPV quoted above is only for the Foxtrot Project, so once the other projects are combined into a bigger project the NPV should improve.

At Fox Meadow, 2020 channel assay results outlined two mineralized zones on the surface: The NW zone is up to 175m wide and the SE zone is up to 116m wide. Combined, the mineralization is at least 790m long and contains similar grades of the REE magnet materials (Nd, Pr, Tb and Dy) as Foxtrot and Deep Fox. This is a good result as it means Search is continuing to find more REE mineralization to potentially further grow their resource.

At Silver Fox, Search has recently successfully expanded the Silver Fox high grade zirconium-hafnium (REE) mineralized zone. In the news release Search commented: “This surface expression is significantly longer, but thinner, than the surface expressions of the nearby and related Foxtrot and Deep Fox Resources. The mineralization is similarly hosted by peralkaline volcanic rocks and contains lower grades of the REE magnet materials (Nd, Pr, Tb and Dy) but significantly higher grades of Zr and Hf.”

At Awesome Fox, the 2020 channel program (7 new channels) along with previous channels has outlined a REE mineralized zone ranging from about 4-43m thick and 850m long.

Closing remarks

Earlier in 2020, rare earths expert Jack Lifton stated about Search Minerals: “I think it may well be Canada’s first commercial rare earth producer.” Given Search has completed a Resource estimate (Foxtrot, Deep Fox), a PEA (Foxtrot), has successfully produced 99% purity REO concentrate from their pilot plant and patented process, and now has a potential larger scale processing option with SRC; this all combines to suggest that Search Minerals is well on the way towards commercial production. Next steps would involve a BFS and potentially some trial production with SRC once their facility is built.

Search Mineral’s current market cap is only C$10.5M suggesting there may be plenty of upside potential ahead, especially if they continue to successfully advance towards production.




Jack Lifton with Tom Drivas on the Saskatchewan Research Council’s Rare Earths Processing Facility

InvestorIntel’s Tracy Weslosky moderates a discussion with the Technology Metals Show host Jack Lifton and Appia Energy Corp.’s (CSE: API | OTCQB: APAAF) CEO, President and Director Tom Drivas on the Saskatchewan Research Council’s (SRC) plans to develop a “first-of-its-kind” Rare Earth Processing Facility in Saskatchewan, Canada.

In an InvestorIntel interview that can also be viewed on our InvestorIntel YouTube channel, Jack started, “This is the first time it has been done in North America,” he continued, “The Canadian companies that are associated with the SRC are going to be the leading companies in Canada in the rare earths space.”

Tom went on to say that Appia has a high-grade rare earths project in Saskatchewan. “Having a rare earths processing plant in Saskatchewan, in the same area where we are and in the same jurisdiction, is a game changer,” he added. Tom also explained how the processing facility is going to benefit Appia Energy and its shareholder.

To watch the full interview, click here

To learn more about Appia Energy Corp., click here

Disclaimer: Appia Energy Corp. is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.




Jack Lifton with Geoff Atkins on Vital Metals’ expected 2021 rare earths production start at Nechalacho

The Technology Metals Show host Jack Lifton talks with Geoff Atkins, Managing Director of Vital Metals Limited (ASX: VML), about Vital Metals’ planned production at its Nechalacho rare earths project in Canada. “In terms of the time frame, we are currently working on a schedule to commence production next year,” Geoff said.

In the interview Geoff provided an update on Vital Metal’s offtake agreements and business model. Vital Metals has a management team with experience in building and operating rare earth plants. He also explained what the company is doing to ensure reduced capital cost and time to market.

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For more information on the Technology Metals Show email us at [email protected] or reach us direct at +1 (416) 546-9233.




Geoff Atkins on Vital Metals’ 2021 rare earths production and new extraction facility

InvestorIntel’s Tracy Weslosky speaks with Geoff Atkins, Managing Director of Vital Metals Limited (ASX: VML), about Vital Metals’ Nechalacho rare earths project in Canada.

“Nechalacho is on track to be in production next year,” Geoff said. “We are constructing an extraction facility with SRC [Saskatchewan Research Council] and that will take our product from Nechalacho and produce a mixed rare earth carbonate product.”

Geoff went on to provide an update on Vital Metals’ management team. “Our entire team has been involved in Lynas and some of them have also been involved in Northern Minerals’ Browns Range Project,” he said. “We have 10-15 years’ experience in building and operating rare earth plants.”

Commenting on the competitive advantages of Vital Metals Geoff said, “The bottom line is about being low cost. From a capital cost perspective, we are looking at under AU$20 million to build this plant. The second is near term operation. We are going to be operation within 12 months.”

To watch the complete interview, click here

Disclaimer: Vital Metals Limited is an advertorial member of InvestorIntel Corp.