Terres rares : Exploration et production miniére

[energy_isere]

suite de ce post du 10 dec 2023 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 2#p2381462

Australian Government to loan $550m for Arafura rare earths project
Australia is looking to diversify away from China’s rare earth supply chains.

Alfie Shaw March 14, 2024

The Australian Government will provide up to A$840m ($550m) for the first combined rare earths mine and refinery in the country’s Northern Territory, owned by Arafura Rare Earths, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.

Along with the government loan, Arafura is expecting funding from international and commercial financiers for the mine, which is located 120km north of Alice Springs.

Australia is looking to improve its rare earth supply chains after Covid-19 exposed risks associated with strong reliance on China, which produces more than 80% of the world’s rare earths.

Albanese said in a statement: “This will create local jobs and economic opportunities, helping Australian and Territory companies and workers capture more value from the game-changing critical minerals deposits we have here.”

Arafura’s shares were up by 59% to A$0.235 following the news on Thursday, having been in a trading halt since Wednesday pending news of debt financing. The company’s largest shareholder is Gina Rhinehart, the Australian mining magnate.

The project in the Northern Territory will be Australia’s third rare earths processing plant after Lynas Rare Earths’ Kalgoorlie operations and Iluka Resources’ Eneabba rare earths plant, which is under development, both in Western Australia.

Rare earths are vital in the production of wind turbines, electric vehicle motors, robotics and mobile phones.

The prices of rare earths neodymium and praseodymium have slumped as China has sharply increased supply levels.

Daniel Morgan, analyst at Barrenjoey, told Reuters: “A lot of these projects face economic challenges… Getting private money is very difficult.”

He added that it was important that the government incentivises companies to enter production given the strategic nature of the industry.

In 2021, the government set up the Critical Minerals Facility to support investment in the sector. Arufa has already received a $325m loan for its operations through the facility.

https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... -industry/

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suite de ce post du 25 juillet 2021 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 4#p2323264

support de fonds américains pour le projet d'exploitation de terres rares Dubbo en Australie

US EXIM offers $600m support to Dubbo rare earths project
Besides, the letter of interest (LOI) is subject to US EXIM completing due diligence and ASM securing all necessary approvals for the project.

March 21, 2024

Australian Strategic Materials (ASM) has secured a non-binding and conditional LOI from the Export-Import Bank of the US (US EXIM) for a debt funding package of up to $600m (A$908.34m) for the Dubbo rare earths project in New South Wales, Australia.

The support from US EXIM is contingent upon the use of US materials during the construction phase and the strategic importance of the Dubbo Project to the critical minerals supply chain.

The LOI is subject to US EXIM completing due diligence and ASM securing all necessary approvals for the project.

This development is a significant advancement in ASM’s funding strategy for the Dubbo Project and reflects the strong support the company has received from government entities, investors and industry groups, particularly in North America.

The Australia-US Taskforce on Critical Minerals has been instrumental in fostering the partnership between the two nations, focusing on the development of secure and sustainable critical mineral supply chains.

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https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... t/?cf-view

[energy_isere]

US Critical Materials makes gallium discovery at Sheep Creek in Montana

Staff Writer | March 21, 2024

US Critical Materials said on Thursday it has discovered a “strategically significant” deposit of high-grade gallium on its 6,700 acres of claims at its flagship Sheep Creek property in southwest Montana.


The US is 100% dependent on imported gallium, which is critical for national defense, primarily from China. Gallium is used for semiconductors, 5G technology, smartphones, satellite systems, critical photonics technologies and military radar systems. The 2022 list of critical minerals identifies gallium as a US supply risk.

The Pentagon has already announced plans to issue a first-time contract to US or Canadian companies to recover gallium after China curbed exports last year.

In December 2023, US Critical Materials signed an agreement with Idaho National Laboratories to develop new rare earth processing methods, including gallium separation.

Last year, the Sheep Creek property reported grades that exceeded any other domestic rare earth resource. As part of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Mapping Resource Initiative, the USGS, in cooperation with the Montana Bureau of Mines, announced last April it is conducting an aeromagnetic and aero-radiometric survey at Sheep Creek.

The company said it believes the technologies developed under this cooperative research and development agreement could potentially provide environmentally responsible mining and processing to mitigate environmental concerns.

US Critical Materials president James Hedrick is a 29-year former USGS and Bureau of Mines rare earth commodity specialist.

“Not only is our gallium high grade, but we are also confident that we will be able to create a separation process that will be environmentally respectful. US Critical Materials’ prime gallium claims average over 300 ppm and go as high as 1,370 ppm,” Hendrick said in a statement, adding that gallium can be separated profitably at 50 ppm.

“US Critical Materials looks forward to being the primary gallium producer in the United States,” he said.

https://www.mining.com/us-critical-mate ... n-montana/

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suite de ce post du 25 fev 2024 http://www.oleocene.org/phpBB3/viewtopi ... 1#p2386451

Confirmation du beau potentiel du gisement de terres rares de Halleck Creek au Wyoming

American Rare Earths says scoping study confirms potential of Wyoming project

Staff Writer | March 18, 2024


Halleck Creek rare earths project in Wyoming. (Image courtesy of American Rare Earths.)

Australia’s American Rare Earths (ASX: ARR) published on Monday the results of a scoping study for its Halleck Creek project in Wyoming, United States, which confirms its potential to become a world-class rare earth element (REE) project.

The preliminary technical and economic study on the viability of the project is based on a scenario that includes developing an open pit mine, constructing a beneficiation facility onsite and a refinery offsite.

The report, compiled by independent firm Stantec Consulting Services, highlights a three million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) operating scenario.

Net present value (NPV) is pegged at $673.9 million at an 8% discount rate and $505.1 million at a 10% discount rate (pre-tax), yielding an internal rate of return of 22.5%.

The payback period is estimated at 2.9 years, with total initial capital expenditures (capex) of $456.1 million, including a $76 million contingency.

Based on a mineral resource estimate updated in February, Halleck Creek holds 2.34 billion tonnes of material grading 3,196 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth oxides (TREO), including neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr) oxides, for 7.48 million tonnes of contained TREO. This includes 1.42 billion tonnes in the measured and indicated category.

The new figures represent a 128% increase over the 2023 estimate, at a grade of 3,295 ppm TREO.

Rare earths, a group of 17 minerals critical to the energy transition for their use in electric car batteries and wind turbines, are also crucial to national security for use in aerospace and defence applications.

Wyoming has become an exploration hotbed for these materials in hopes it could become America’s answer to China’s lock on the market. The Halleck Creek project was named by Mining Intelligence last year as one the world’s top 10 rare earth projects, measured in total rare earth oxides (TREO).

On top of the scoping study for Halleck Creek released Monday, the company will also need to acquire the necessary licences to explore on Wyoming state mineral leases in order to collect rocks for bulk material testing and pilot-scale metallurgical test-work.

After that, American Rare Earths will prepare and implement a detailed baseline environmental plan and will also start working on a permit application to mine on state mineral leases.

https://www.mining.com/american-rare-ea ... g-project/

[energy_isere]

MP Materials receives $58.5m for US rare earth magnet factory
The move is expected to bolster domestic production of critical components for various high-tech applications.

April 2, 2024

US-based company MP Materials has secured a $58.5m award from the US Internal Revenue Service and Treasury to support the construction of the country’s first fully-integrated rare earth magnet manufacturing facility.

The Section 48C Advanced Energy Project tax credit allocation is expected to bolster domestic production of critical components for various high-tech applications.

Funds were issued following a competitive, oversubscribed process administered by the Department of Energy, which evaluated the technical and commercial viability and environmental and community impact of approximately 250 projects.

Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets are essential in manufacturing electric motors and generators for a wide range of industries, including automotive, renewable energy and defence.

The demand for these magnets is closely tied to the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and sustainable energy solutions.

Construction of the facility in Fort Worth, Texas, began in April 2022, with MP Materials already producing magnet precursor materials at a pilot facility in North America.

The company anticipates the start of commercial precursor material production in Fort Worth this summer, with the aim of manufacturing finished magnets by late 2025.

MP Materials’ foundational customer, General Motors, will be the primary recipient of the finished products, which will support the automaker’s EV production in North America.

This partnership underscores the strategic alignment between raw material suppliers and end users in the rapidly evolving EV sector.

The company said in a statement: “MP will source the factory’s raw material inputs from Mountain Pass, California, where MP owns and operates America’s only scaled and operational rare earth mine and separations facility.

“At the factory, NdPr [neodymium-praseodymium] oxide produced at Mountain Pass will be reduced to NdPr metal and converted to NdFeB alloy and finished magnets, delivering an end-to-end supply chain with integrated recycling and world-class sustainability.”

https://www.mining-technology.com/news/ ... &cf-closed

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La femme la plus riche d'Australie investit dans les terres rares non chinoises
La milliardaire Gina Rinehart vient de prendre des participations dans les deux plus gros producteurs de terres rares non chinois. Il s'agit de métaux stratégiques pour la défense et l'énergie. La chaîne de production est pour le moment dominée par la Chine.

Étienne Goetz le 17 avr. 2024 lesechos


La femme la plus riche d'Australie, Gina Rinehart, continue d'étendre son empire dans les métaux critiques en se passant des Chinois. Cette semaine, sa société Hancock Prospecting a pris une participation de près de 6 % dans Lynas, un producteur de terres rares australien. Il y a quelques jours, elle avait acheté 5 % du capital de l'américain MP Materials.

Il s'agit des deux plus gros producteurs de terres rares non chinois. Ils avaient, d'ailleurs, discuté entre eux d'une possible fusion, mais n'avaient pas réussi à trouver de compromis. Les négociations se sont arrêtées en février dernier. Le titre de Lynas, malmené en Bourse depuis 2021, a bondi de 5,91 % à la Bourse de Sydney mercredi.
..... abonnés

https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches ... 3%A9nergie.

[energy_isere]

Pensana nomme un ingénieur angolais pour diriger la construction de la première mine de terres rares d’Angola

Agence Ecofin 16 avril 2024

Longonjo devrait devenir d’ici 2026 la première mine de terres rares d’Angola. Il s’agit d’un projet important pour la diversification en cours de l’économie locale, au-delà de l’exploitation du pétrole et du gaz.

En Angola, Pensana a annoncé le 15 avril la nomination de Benedito Dumbo au poste de chef du chantier de construction de la mine de terres rares Longonjo. Sa nomination intervient alors que la compagnie britannique s’apprête à lancer la phase principale de construction de la première mine de terres rares du pays.

Originaire de Luanda, la capitale angolaise, M. Benedito Dumbo est un ingénieur minier diplômé de l’université d’Exeter en Angleterre. Il travaille depuis trois ans sur le site de Longonjo en Angola, supervisant notamment la construction de la route d’accès à la future mine.

« L’accélération du projet Pensana est vraiment passionnante […]. C’est un honneur de réaliser mon rêve de livrer un projet qui profitera non seulement à la région locale, mais aussi à l’ensemble de l’Angola, à un moment où l’économie se diversifie en s’éloignant du pétrole et du gaz traditionnels », a déclaré le nouveau responsable.

Pour rappel, Pensana vise l’entrée en production de Longonjo en 2026, après le début des travaux de construction cette année. La compagnie s’active actuellement pour boucler le financement nécessaire aux travaux, actuellement évalué à un peu plus de 200 millions de dollars, afin de respecter ce calendrier.

https://www.agenceecofin.com/terres-rar ... s-d-angola

[energy_isere]

Pensana nomme un ingénieur angolais pour diriger la construction de la première mine de terres rares d’Angola

Agence Ecofin 16 avril 2024

Longonjo devrait devenir d’ici 2026 la première mine de terres rares d’Angola. Il s’agit d’un projet important pour la diversification en cours de l’économie locale, au-delà de l’exploitation du pétrole et du gaz.

En Angola, Pensana a annoncé le 15 avril la nomination de Benedito Dumbo au poste de chef du chantier de construction de la mine de terres rares Longonjo. Sa nomination intervient alors que la compagnie britannique s’apprête à lancer la phase principale de construction de la première mine de terres rares du pays.

Originaire de Luanda, la capitale angolaise, M. Benedito Dumbo est un ingénieur minier diplômé de l’université d’Exeter en Angleterre. Il travaille depuis trois ans sur le site de Longonjo en Angola, supervisant notamment la construction de la route d’accès à la future mine.

« L’accélération du projet Pensana est vraiment passionnante […]. C’est un honneur de réaliser mon rêve de livrer un projet qui profitera non seulement à la région locale, mais aussi à l’ensemble de l’Angola, à un moment où l’économie se diversifie en s’éloignant du pétrole et du gaz traditionnels », a déclaré le nouveau responsable.

Pour rappel, Pensana vise l’entrée en production de Longonjo en 2026, après le début des travaux de construction cette année. La compagnie s’active actuellement pour boucler le financement nécessaire aux travaux, actuellement évalué à un peu plus de 200 millions de dollars, afin de respecter ce calendrier.

https://www.agenceecofin.com/terres-rar ... s-d-angola

[energy_isere]

Un nouveau gisement de terres rares au Brésil : Colossus

Viridis claims ‘world record’ in rare earth recovery at Colossus

Staff Writer | April 19, 2024

Viridis Mining & Minerals (ASX: VMM) said it has achieved the highest overall bulk ionic recoveries globally, with rates as high as 67%, in initial testing of clays from its Colossus project in Minas Gerais, Brazil.


The company reports that the average recovery rates of critical magnetic rare earths – neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy), and terbium (Tb) – at all four of its concessions have outperformed every publicly-known clay-hosted rare earth prospect and deposit globally that has conducted similar bulk tests.

Colossus consists of four concessions: northern, Cupim South, Capão da Onça and Ribeirão.

“This positions Colossus as one of the leading projects worldwide for Nd, Pr, Dy, and Tb recovery using simple, effective extraction,” Viridis CEO Rafael Moreno said.

“Our northern concessions continue to demonstrate why they remain the foundation for building Colossus into the premier ionic adsorption clay deposit globally,” he said. “They sit on granted mining licenses and contain the highest grades of heavy rare earths at the surface in the Poços De Caldas alkaline complex, now combined with the best average Dy and Tb ionic recoveries in the world.”

Viridis’ concessions are east of Brazil’s only producing rare earths mine in neighbouring Goiás state, where in January Serra Verde began commercial production at its Pela Ema project. That marked it as the second producing rare earths mine in the Americas, after MP Materials’ (NYSE: MP) Mountain Pass mine in California.

Rare earths, used in cellular phones, computers and magnets for green energy technologies and electric vehicles, are highly sought by Western countries eager to secure supply chains outside of China, which dominates the mining and processing of the 17 rare metals.

Viridis’ highest average recovery of neodymium and praseodymium, reaching 67%, was achieved at Cupim South, with the northern concessions closely following at 63%.

Capão da Onça and Ribeirão also demonstrated significant neodymium and praseodymium recoveries, averaging 59%.

For dysprosium and terbium, the northern concessions peaked at an average recovery of 65%. Cupim South yielded recoveries of those rare earths averaging 53%, while Capão da Onça and Ribeirão reached 59% and 49%, respectively.

Shares of Viridis rose by 4.63% on Wednesday after the results were released. The company currently has a market capitalization of A$75.4 million ($48.3m).

https://www.mining.com/viridis-claims-w ... -colossus/