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Rare Element Resources Produces Rare Earth Powder from the Bear Lodge Project that is 99.999% Pure and Thorium Free from Patent-Pending Technology

by User Not Found | Nov 04, 2014
Rare Element continues to advance their proprietary recovery process, producing a 99.999% pure rare earth product, and advanced separation studies with the filing of two new patents.

Proprietary Recovery Process Enhancement Removes Cerium and Thorium in Single Step

Initial Separation Achieved into Heavy and Light Rare Earth Products

 

November 4, 2014 – Lakewood, Colorado – Rare Element Resources Ltd. (NYSE MKT: REE and TSX: RES), a mineral resources company advancing development of the Bear Lodge Critical Rare Earth Project, announced today that it has successfully completed bench-scale testing on enhancements to its existing patent-pending thorium extraction technology that now allows for the selective precipitation of 100% of the thorium while also removing 85% of the cerium, the lowest value rare earth element.  This advancement significantly reduces the concentrate mass of material subject to further separation, thereby reducing costs, and results in an upgraded product that is nearly 40% by weight critical rare earths (CREE)1 and 99.999% pure rare earth oxide (REO).  In the second stage, a two-contact solvent extraction (SX) process is used to separate the contained rare earths into heavy rare earths (HREE) and light rare earths (LREE) to simplify the separation process and further reduce costs.

Testing was undertaken using concentrates generated from the large-scale pilot plant work performed on the Company’s proprietary recovery process and conducted by SGS Lakefield, Canada, and Hazen Research, Colorado, under the direction of Dr. Henry Kasaini, Rare Element Resources’ Director of Science & Technology.   

“Process advancements on our proprietary recovery process have significantly improved our product and technology breakthroughs have brought us successfully through the first step of elemental separation,” stated Jaye Pickarts, Chief Operating Officer.  “Our decision to capture additional value for our shareholders by investigating elemental separation has led to a significant improvement in our thorium removal process that now allows us to also remove the majority of the cerium in a single-contact SX step.  By removing this lower value rare earth, we can reduce the mass that goes through separation, significantly reducing costs.  We then use SX to achieve high separation factors for heavy and light rare earths.  This represents a significant first step and will give us a great amount of flexibility, as we continue to investigate the next steps of separation and how to capture more value by generating the products that our customers’ need.” 

Selective Separation by Precipitation and Solvent Extraction Technology

On November 3, 2014, the Company filed an application for a Provisional U.S. Patent on technology that combines selective precipitation and SX process technology to extract cerium and thorium from the rare earth oxide mix concentrate and thereby doubling the grade of CREE to about 40% by weight.  Subsequently, the upgraded rare earth product is separated into HREE and LREE groups.  

The total rare earth (TREO) concentrate product that results from the Company’s proprietary rare earth recovery process is initially dissolved in nitric acid and then complexed with an alkaline solution to make the cerium and thorium amenable to selective precipitation.  Over 85% by weight of the less valuable cerium and 100% of the thorium is removed in this process, resulting in a product rich in didymium (37 wt.%).  This reduces the feedstock to SX and hence requires a smaller processing facility, reducing both capital and processing costs.  Depending on the price of cerium, the cerium/thorium stream can be stockpiled or further treated through a separate SX circuit to remove cerium for potential sale. 

In addition, the patent application describes a new SX method for sequestering cerium and thorium, either together or separately, from a mixed rare earth solution in a single-contact SX process. This process is now available to remove cerium or thorium from any rare earth product, including the cerium/thorium stream mentioned above. This represents a significant achievement in the SX flowsheet development program due to its ability to reduce the number of steps in subsequent separation processing and improve management of radioactive materials.

After cerium removal, the CREE-enriched product is treated in a single-contact SX step, in which the LREE are separated from the HREE.  It is possible to produce an almost cerium-free LREE fraction containing 93 -98% lanthanum, praseodymium and neodymium, which would allow the Company to produce pure lanthanum and didymium products.  The HREE fraction include 97% of all elements from dysprosium to lutetium, including 88% terbium.  These separation factors will make further rare earth separation steps cost effective.

Bench-scale tests are ongoing to use either the HREE or LREE feedstocks to separate individual rare earth elements. The Company continues its work with potential customers to identify the most attractive and salable end products for the market. 

Low-Temperature Counter-Current Leach Circuit

The Company filed a Provisional U.S. Patent application in October 2014 to modify its planned process recovery flowsheet to incorporate the selective digestion of rare earths over some base metals in a low-temperature, counter-current leach configuration.  The benefits of this process include lower reagent use, including hydrochloric and oxalic acids, decreased energy consumption, reduced cost for neutralization of effluent, lower capital costs and higher quality of the REO bulk concentrate powder.  A number of these benefits were reflected in the Bear Lodge Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) results, published on August 26, 2014.  Work continues on refining the parameters of the process.

Rare Element Resources Ltd. is a publicly traded mineral resource company focused on exploration and development of rare-earth element deposits, specifically those with significant distribution of critical rare earths.  The Company is advancing development of the Bear Lodge Project, located in northeast Wyoming.  Bear Lodge is a significant mineralized district containing many of the less common, more valuable critical rare earths that are essential for electronics, fiber optics, laser systems for health and defense, as well as many evolving green technologies, like hybrid cars, solar panels and wind turbines. Permitting and feasibility work on the Project continue to advance.  The Company is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Institute, a combined government and private sector organization committed to eliminating supply chain issues for rare earths and other critical elements.  Please see CMI’s website at https://cmi.ameslab.gov/ for additional details on its mission and members.  

For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.rareelementresources.com or contact Robbin Lee at 720-278-2462 or rlee@rareelementresources.com.

1 Identified by the U.S. Department of Energy (Critical Materials Strategy Report, 2011) as those rare earths most essential to the “clean energy” economy and at highest risk of supply disruption.  Includes neodymium, dysprosium, europium, terbium and yttrium.  Rare Element includes praseodymium because of its use with neodymium in didymium, a raw material in high-strength permanent magnets.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in the United States and Canada. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are usually identified by our use of certain terminology, including "will", "believes", "may", "expects", "should", "seeks", "anticipates", "plans", "has potential to", or "intends" (including negative or grammatical variations thereof) or by discussions of strategy or intentions. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding: patent-pending processing test work and expected results; the estimated Project economics and parameters as reflected in the Company’s PFS, including capital costs, NPV, IRR, after tax returns, mine and Project life, mining plan, payback period, anticipated production rates and costs, rare earth prices, recovery rates and the impact of the Company’s proprietary technology on production, matters regarding the rare earths industry, including demand growth, rare earth prices and the impact of rare earths on technological advancements; mineral resource and reserve estimates; the timing and expected results of a definitive Feasibility Study including the potential for upside as a results of the incorporation of Project opportunities into the definitive Feasibility Study; permitting process and progress; the expected commissioning of the Project and Project development plans for the future. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results or achievements to be materially different from any future results or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the progress of our Bear Lodge Project; fluctuations in demand for, and price of, rare earth products; success of process technology under testing or development; results from geological evaluations and programs; timing of and unexpected events at the Bear Lodge property; delay or failure to receive government approvals and permits; our ability to obtain financing for the Project on acceptable terms or at all; changes in U.S. and Canadian securities markets; and general economic conditions. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. Please refer to the discussion of these and other factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. We expect that the above estimates as to development plans, technology and other processes, time frames and financial needs will change as new information is received and that actual results will vary from these estimates, possibly by material amounts. While we may elect to update these estimates at any time, we do not undertake to update any estimate at any particular time or in response to any particular event. Investors and others should not assume that any forecasts in this news release represent management's estimate as of any date other than the date of this news release.

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Rare Element Resources
Fact Sheet

Rare Element Resources
Technology Fact Sheet

Most Recent Presentation
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Open House – October 09, 2023

State and community leaders joined Senator Barrasso, Neal Blue and Brent Berg with the ceremonial groundbreaking shovel

Ceremonial groundbreaking with Senator Barrasso, state and community leaders, Neal Blue (GA) and Brent Berg (RER) 

The Company and General Atomics (GA), supported by state and community leaders, celebrated a ceremonial groundbreaking for their rare earth demonstration plant.

The presentation at the Open House made by Mr. Berg can be found here.

For a summary of the event, please click here.

Please click here to see a video replay from the Newcastle News Letter Journal of the event.

CEO Corner

Commentary from Kelli Kast,
Interim President, CEO and Director

Continuing Our Progress

As I step into the role of Interim President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) for the coming weeks, I do so with confidence that we will seamlessly continue on the path the Board has set for us of progressing construction of the demonstration plant toward operations this summer, and in continuing to build awareness of the Company, the Bear Lodge Project, and the importance of establishing a secure domestic rare earth supply chain.

Please click here to read full content

Please click here to see appointed President and CEO Ken Mushinski's bio

Demo Plant Construction Update (2/20/24)

Utility Upgrades

Utilities Being Upgraded

Services to the site are being upgraded, including power, water and sewer, to support future plant operations.  Mild weather has allowed us to progress this and other outdoor work.

World-Class Technology Partner

General Atomics Fact Sheet
In 2017, an affiliate of General Atomics, one of the largest, most advanced technology companies in the world, took an equity position in Rare Element Resources.  Since that time, they have brought the full force of their technology development team enhance the Company's recovery/separation technology.
To learn more about General Atomics Click Here

Bear Lodge Panoramic
Sample Drilling
Core Samples

The Bear Lodge Project area is a significant mineralized district that contains one of the largest disseminated rare earth deposits in North America. This deposit contains many of the less common, more valuable rare earths that are essential for the magnet materials used in electronics, fiber optics, laser systems for health and defense, and many evolving green technologies, such as hybrid cars, solar panels and wind turbines. Rare Element Resources owns 100% of the Project. 

During the last few years, the Company, along General Atomics, whose affiliate is RER's majority shareholder, have been advancing their proprietary extraction/separation technology and have successfully produced commercial-grade neodymium/praseodymium (Nd/Pr) oxide in pilot-plant testing.  These materials are key components to the fast-growing, permanent magnet sector. The next step will be operations of a demonstration plant, which is currently under construction in Upton, WY.  Results generated from operating this plant will be used for the design and economic evaluation of a commercial rare earth processing facility. 

Project Highlights

  • Proprietary Rare Earth Extraction/Separation Technology – Successfully advanced the Company’s technology and produced neodymium/praseodymium (Nd/Pr) oxide in pilot-plant testing. Construction of a demonstration plant is currently underway to prove the scalability of the process and define the requirements for a commercial plant.
  • World-Class Technology Partner and Majority Shareholder – General Atomics, through its affiliate, is the majority shareholder in Rare Element Resources, is a technology leader with a proven track record of bringing new ideas to market.  Their understanding of the strategic role rare earths play in numerous advancing technologies makes them keenly aware of the need for a secure, domestic supply of rare earths. Their relationship within the U.S. Government have been essential to our ability to advance our technology.
  • Bear Lodge Project – Well-defined resource with excellent concentrations of the rare earth elements essential to high-strength, permanent magnets and the many industries that depend on them.  Two of those industries, electric vehicles and wind turbines, are expected to drive a doubling of demand for magnet materials in the next 10 years.
  • Strategic Location – Located in northeast Wyoming, the Bear Lodge Project has easy access to a major interstate, transcontinental rail, natural gas and low-power.  The area has existing infrastructure with a ready and skilled workforce.  The State of Wyoming has a rich history of mineral development and a pro-business focus, and its leaders are actively committed to economic diversification. 
  • Strong Federal and State Support – Both the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Wyoming Energy Authority (WEA) have shown their support for the Project through funding of over $26M for the demonstration plant.  The DOE continues to pursue ways to secure sources for material that will be key to industrial needs, especially those that support the country’s initiative of reducing carbon emissions, like electric vehicles and wind turbines. The WEA is supporting the State’s desire to diversify employment and understands that Wyoming can play a key role in developing a domestic supply chain – from minerals to magnets. 
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