Resource World Magazine

24 www.resourceworld.com O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 RARE EARTHS George, British Columbia. The 2,000-metre core drilling pro- gram, expected to take about six weeks, is designed to further delineate, and potentially expand the Wicheeda REE carbonatite deposit leading to completion of an updated mineral resource estimate. Drilling will test the northern, south- ern and western extent of the Wicheeda deposit where it is still open; further delineate the relatively higher-grade near surface dolomite carbonatite unit; and address select internal drilling gaps within the deposit. In 2008, drill hole WI08-04 returned 98.16 metres averaging 1.56% Ce (cerium), 0.72% La (lanthanum), and 0.26% Nd (neodymium) (2.54% LREE Light Rare Earth Elements) from surface. The current Wicheeda REE deposit resource comprises Inferred Resources of 11,370,000 tonnes averaging 1.96% LREE, reported at a cut-off grade of 1.0% LREE (sum of cerium, lanthanum, neodymium and samarium percentages). A 2009 drill hole, WI09-07, returned 105 metres aver- aging 1.50% Ce, 0.63% La, and 0.30% Nd (2.43% LREE) from surface. Following completion of a planned Phase 1A flotation test work, Phase 2 pilot plant processing of a 30 tonne bulk sample will begin. There is good infrastructure in the area. Hudson Resources Inc. [HUD-TSXV; HUDRF-OTC] has a positive PEA for its 100%-owned Sarfartoq rare earths project near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. In a press release, the company stated: "In light of recent trade tensions between the US and China and its implications on rare earth availability outside of China, Hudson is reviewing activities with respect to its Sarfartoq Carbonatite Rare Earth Element (REE) project." Hudson believes the best option is to find a partner to develop the deposit which is located within 20 km of tidewater and only 60 km from Greenland's interna- tional airport. A 2011 PEA was based on the produc- tion of 6,500 tonnes per annum of rare earth carbonatite concentrate of 42-45% REO. This study was based solely on the NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate of January 4, 2011 which defined an inferred resource of 14.1M tonnes averaging 1.51% total rare earth oxides (TREO) and did not incorporate 2011 or 2012 drill results. Medallion Resources Ltd. [MDL- TSXV; MLLOF-OTC; MRD-FSE], based in Vancouver, BC, reports that the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) has successfully concluded the final major testwork program for Medallion's rare- earth element (REE) extraction process. Medallion is developing the process and business model to quickly get to REE pro- duction in North America by processing by-product monazite sand from North America, Australia and Africa. "This program's key work, conducted by the SRC, was to produce and analyze different waste streams from additional 'crack and leach' tests on our monazite sand feedstock," said Kurt Forrester, PhD, Medallion's metallurgist. "We are now engaging processors, waste management and transportation groups to determine disposal options and costs. This fits with our recently announced plans to com- mission trade-off studies investigating suitable North American sites for our pro- posed plant including transportation costs related to feedstock, re-agents and waste material." Medallion has received funding from the federal government through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program in support of this program. The company has responded to the US Department of Defense's Request For Information (which includes Canada as a 'domestic' source) to put its monazite by- product processing approach as a route to achieving near-term North American pro- duction of REEs. Mkango Resources Ltd. [MKA-TSXV, AIM] reports that the Feasibility Study for the 51%-owned Songwe Hill Rare Earths Project in the Phalombe district of south- east Malawi, Africa, continues to progress, fully financed by strategic partner, Talaxis Ltd., a subsidiary of Noble Group. Mkango also confirms that the recently shipped 60-tonne bulk rock sample for mineral processing and metallurgical pilot test work studies has now arrived into Fremantle Port in Western Australia. The company said that optimization of the mineral processing flow sheet is progress- ing well. In 2014, a positive Prefeasibility Study was completed based on an open pit min- ing operation with an 18-year mine life. A 2015 update contemplated 2,841 tonnes of REO in concentrate per year. Indicated total TREO is 13.2 million tonnes averag- ing 1.60% TREO with Inferred resources of 18.6 million tonnes averaging 1.38% TREO. Rare Element Resources Ltd. [REEMF- OTCQB] has reported additional significant progress on the previously announced third-party pilot scale testwork regard- ing its proprietary rare earth separation technology. The work is being conducted by Umwelt-und Ingenieurtechnik GmbH Dresden (UIT), an affiliate of Synchron, a significant shareholder of the company. Rare Element hired UIT to conduct a pilot plant campaign last February to verify, at pilot plant scale, all the process steps from the hydrometallurgical process already validated to the final separation of Nd/Pr oxide. UIT is currently operating a large-scale hydrometallurgical pilot plant in Germany. Preliminary results, using the Rare Elements technology, indicate the suc- cessful extraction of Nd/Pr and other rare earth elements, contained in a high-purity rare earth oxide (REO). Ucore Rare Metals Inc. [UCU-TSXV; UURAF-OTCQX] has a 100% ownership in the Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare Earth Project located 60 km southwest of Ketchikan, Alaska and 140 km northwest of Prince Rupert, British Columbia with direct ocean access to the western seaboard and the Pacific Rim. A 2012 positive PEA indicated an 11-year mine life. In a May 2015 resource estimate Indicated Resources stood at 4,787,900 tonnes averaging 0.602% TREO. Inferred Resources are 1,050,000 tonnes averaging 0.603% TREO. n

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