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While the US and its allies continues to trail China in the crucial rare earth element (REE) sector, things are beginning to happen on this front.
According to a report in Mining Technology, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded US $19m to fund the development of 13 projects to produce REEs and critical minerals essential in the manufacture of batteries and magnets.
REEs are used as critical components across several industries, ranging from electric vehicles to smartphones. They are vital for satellites, missile guidance systems, missile defence systems and more.
The new funding is expected to help the US accelerate its rare earth elements production as it aims to reduce its dependence on China due to strained trade relations, the report said.
China produces around 70% of the world’s REEs.
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said: “By building clean energy products here at home, we’re securing the supply chain for the innovative solutions needed to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 — all while creating good-paying jobs in all parts of America.â€
Among the entities selected to receive the DOE funding to develop their respective projects include Pennsylvania State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Collaborative Composite Solutions, and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
The DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will manage the selected projects, the report said.
Last month, the US DOE announced up to US$30m funding to support scientific research to ensure domestic firms can sufficiently access REEs.
In other developments, a Canadian firm is pioneering a new method of mining REEs, without destroying the local environment.
Nechalacho Rare Earths Mine, located around 100 kilometers east of Yellowknife on Thor Lake is gearing up to enter production this spring.
According to Cheetah Resources Corp., operators of the demonstration project and owners of deposits near the surface, Nechalacho will be the first Canadian producer of REEs and the first project in the country where an Indigenous group is contracted for extracting minerals in its own territory.
David Connelly, vice president of corporate affairs and strategy for Cheetah Resources Corp., told media the demonstration phase of the project is considered small with about 30 seasonal jobs this summer.
“We expect the physical footprint will be less than 10 per cent less than the average diamond mine. While we have a number of firsts, we want to make it clear Nechalacho will in no way replace the contribution of the diamond mines in the N.W.T.’s economy,†Connelly said.
Officials say 600,000 tonnes of ore-bearing rock is expected to be extracted this summer, with 100,000 containing the valuable minerals.
But the biggest benefit, according to workers and locals — no toxic tailings ponds.
While smaller in scale, Clarence Pyke, Nechalacho mine project manager said the secret is in the sorting.
“No chemicals, it’s actuated by air,†said Pyke. “Fiber optics X-rays aluminate similar to a diamond and (it) recognizes the product that we need and the product that we don’t need and it’s going to separate it through the belt feed,†Pyke said.
Free from chemicals means the cleanup for phase one of the mine will only involve waste rock.
The product will travel by barge to Hay River over the summer.
After that, it will head to Saskatoon to be handled by the Saskatchewan Research Council and Cheetah Resources will refine the material before it is shipped to Norway for fine separation of rare earth elements and sale.
“We are also demonstrating to the global customer base that the N.W.T. and Cheetah’s mixed rare earth and precipitated products can meet their stringent product specifications,†Connelly said.
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