- Ucore Rare Metals Inc. is dedicated to providing North American independence from China’s near-monopolistic control of the rare earth element (“REE”) production pipeline that supplies metals critical to modern technologies
- The company has developed a trademarked solution that improves on the standard process used worldwide for separating REEs from their host ores, and Ucore is demonstrating its solution’s capabilities at a Canadian facility ahead of a planned commercial operation
- Ucore recently announced acquisition of a U.S.-sourced light REE feedstock that will be its third REE feedstock for the demonstration plant, allowing it to compare its RapidSX(TM) solution side-by-side with standard (“SX”) light and heavy REE separation process output
- Once the demonstration plant’s commissioning process is complete, Ucore will undertake a similar demonstration program for qualification under a U.S. Department of Defense grant that will show the strategic value of the solution
Critical technology metals supply chain innovator Ucore Rare Metals (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) is steadily and quickly developing its infrastructure for North America-based rare earth element (“REE”) processing, strengthening its competitive position and ability to disrupt the People’s Republic of China’s control of the North American REE supply chain.
Ucore began demonstrating the performance of its proprietary RapidSX(TM) solvent extraction process during the spring at an Ontario, Canada facility, and on June 29 the company announced acquisition of a third REE feedstock for the demonstration plant, establishing it as a first-of-a-kind facility in North America.
“We believe that Ucore’s Kingston, Ontario, Demo Plant is currently the largest heavy REE separation plant in North America,” Ucore Vice President and COO Mike Schrider stated in the announcement (https://ibn.fm/OSDto). “It is capable of processing tens of tonnes of light and heavy REEs utilizing the exact same equipment — and represents a unique technological advantage as North America endeavors to compete on the global stage to produce individual rare earth oxides required to support the growing EV industry.”
Ucore is preparing for the construction of a commercial-scale operation at a property it acquired this year in Louisiana, United States. Its RapidSX technology is at least three times more efficient than the standard SX (also known as CSX) process used worldwide to separate REEs from their host ores, according to independent evaluations. RapidSX has also demonstrated advantages in terms of overall processing time, operational costs and environmental impacts (https://ibn.fm/3fi5S).
The Canadian demonstration plant is designed to show RapidSX can process varied light and heavy REE feedstocks through the same circuit and to provide a direct comparison of its output with that of a corresponding standard SX mixer settler pilot plant.
Once that commissioning program is complete, Ucore will further demonstrate RapidSX capability in compliance with a qualification program for the US Department of Defense, which provided the company with a $4 million grant to show that its technology constitutes new innovation capable of supporting North American REE production plants (https://ibn.fm/hQNEd).
Construction of the Louisiana commercial operation — the first of at least three North American Strategic Metals Complex (“SMC”) facilities Ucore has planned — is expected to begin later this year.
REEs have become critical metal elements for use in modern electronics, particularly in electric vehicle batteries as government and industry leaders work to address pollution and climate concerns by developing alternatives to fossil fuels.
Because China controls 36.7 percent of the world’s REE reserves, 63 percent of its mining capacity, and over 90 percent of its refining capacity (https://ibn.fm/vvDan) and has used its market preeminence as leverage during international disputes (https://ibn.fm/xFHTP), American and European nations have come to regard REE pipeline independence as an important part of national defense strategy.
REE importance to modern technologies is not limited to the commercial sector, but also includes military applications in Abrams tanks and F-35 jets, as well as windmill turbine generators that play a role in national energy policies.
“The full-scale production plant (in Louisiana) is scheduled to initially process 2,000 tonnes of total rare earth oxides by the end of 2024, increasing to 5,000 tonnes in 2026,” a NetworkNewsWire editorial states (https://ibn.fm/gz4Ta).
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Ucore.com.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to UURAF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/UURAF
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