Issue link: http://resourceworld.uberflip.com/i/661612
44 www.resourceworld.com A P R I L / M A Y 2 0 1 6 MININg Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. [AVL- TSX; AVLNF-OTCQX; OU5-FWB] is the new name of Avalon Rare Metals Inc., reflecting the increasing range of commod- ities it deals with in the specialty metals exploration and development world. With all its properties wholly-owned and located in Canada, Avalon has long held a diverse portfolio of useful and strategic metals and minerals, including lithium, tin, indium, gold, tantalum, and rubidium, as well as rare earth elements and pure forms of minerals such as plagioclase feldspar. Avalon's most significant properties are the Separation Rapids lithium project (Kenora, Ontario) and the East Kemptville tin-indium project (Yarmouth, Nova Scotia), with the Nechalacho (Thor Lake, NWT) rare earth element project on the back burner for 2016. Some of the materials found on its vari- ous properties have come to the forefront as recent developments in different technolo- gies have advanced. While lead is becoming phased out as the dominant component in solder, tin has gained importance in the electronics field for specialty solder used on circuit boards. Lead-free solder can contain various combinations of tin, copper, silver, gold, bismuth, indium, zinc, antimony, and other metals with each alloy demonstrat- ing different solder properties, so choice of alloy depends on intended usage. Indium has continued to be increas- ingly sought after for electronic parts of solar panels, while the demand for purer lithium has skyrocketed with innovation in energy storage solutions. Currently, the most market buzz is in the electronic energy storage business around the need for more lithium-ion batteries. According to Don Bubar, Avalon President and CEO, in a recent interview, although energy storage technology is advancing rap- idly it will still rely on the Li-ion battery for at least the next five to 10 years, providing a favourable market for pure forms of lithium. Bubar said that if investors want expo- sure to the predicted lithium industry growth, there aren't very many other emerging producers in which to invest, and Avalon, with its Canadian sources, is poised to become a primary producer of 'conflict-free' materials. In 2016, Avalon is concentrating on specialty metals like tin and indium as well as lithium at its top two properties, the Separation Rapids lithium-tantalum pegmatite project and the East Kemptville tin-indium project. The Separation Rapids deposit is found in a "highly fractionated rare metals peg- matite" containing alkali elements (and some rarer metals), with minerals such as Avalon advances its aims with specialty metals by Jennifer S. Getsinger, PhD, PGeo Petalite (rougher flotation cells) from Avalon's Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora, western Ontario. Photo courtesy Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.