Recently shared by Baotou Steel Rare Earth subsidiary Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel and hair Rare Earth Co., Ltd. Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology "mixed light rare earth resources clean efficient extraction of new technologies and applications for two major technological breakthroughs, the project" Ten 25 "national Science and Technology Pillar Program.
   
The first technique is to start from the 50% of rare earth concentrates, the fractionation extraction theory is introduced to the re-selection process rare earth concentrate, high-grade rare earth concentrate, the technology is not only efficient extraction of rare earth, comprehensive recovery of associated elements, but also has does not produce harmful emissions, waste residue less, low production costs significant advantages. The second technique is based on 65% of high-grade rare earth concentrates as raw materials flotation separation to get single Bastnaesite concentrate and monazite concentrate. The technology further simplifies the smelting process, reduce the cost of smelting, the new technology for the Bayan Obo mixed rare earth concentrate smelting.
   
At present, the subject has applied for 14 patents authorized 4.


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The latest biannual “Strategic and Critical Materials 2013 Report on Stockpile Requirements” (‘The Report’) published by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) urges Washington to  accumulate $120.43 million worth of heavy rare earths as part of a $319.74 million program to stockpile 23 critical materials. Each of these materials is ordered along a list arranged in accordance to how much money – and what quantity – should be spent to secure it. The report reflects the need to revise the U.S. government mineral sourcing requirements in view of their growing importance in security matters, including energy security and the shift to the much touted ‘green economy’. The considerations expressed by the DoD reflect the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act through which Congress has revised the way the Defense Department’s acquires and applies strategic materials.

The idea of stockpiling strategic materials is not new; it was started just shortly before World War II in order for the U.S. military and civilian industrial complexes to gain secure access to the materials needed to produce defense platforms. The problem, today, is the proliferation of the ‘outsourcing’ mantra in all areas of the economy, which means that many of the materials the United States needs the most are being sourced beyond the United States and even beyond the its primary allies. Without beating around the proverbial bush, this means that the United States is taking too many risks by relying so much on China as the source of many critical materials. China has shown itself to be more than willing and capable of using quotas to control exports of strategic materials in order to advance its own political and geo-strategic interests.

                 

China is not the only country to have used ‘checks and balances’ on their critical materials exports. Increasingly, companies are paying more attention to non-tangible business risks, sometimes include under the umbrella of corporate sustainability, which preclude their involvement in supplying technologies that have military applications. Such companies as Caterpillar, which makes construction machinery, have been targeted because of the military use of their bulldozers. A camera manufacturer in Japan – or China – may refuse supplying cameras for missiles and other critical parts needed to make munitions or rockets or hardware. This is especially the case as so many technologies today can address dual civilian/military needs with mere software or configuration changes.

At the end of 2012, the DoD took steps to start addressing some of these risks, signing a series of special contracts with U.S. based potential producers of REE magnets (neodymium-iron-boron or ‘neo’) magnets and equivalents from the raw supplies to the finished product. Neo magnets are used to make missile guidance systems, fU.S.es for explosives and satellite communication devices, all of which, evidently, are important to U.S. national security. Thomas & Skinner Inc., Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (‘Ucore’, TSX.V: UCU) and Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (‘GWMG’, TSX.V: GWG) were among the beneficiaries. The DoD, therefore, has been trying to reduce its vulnerability to the whims of national and corporate material and technology producers which may or may not agree to supply these. In terms of critical materials, and rare earths in particular, the industry has become extremely lopsided in China’s favor and the time and investment needed to get a dependable domestic REE supply is considerable.

The DOD, therefore, has set out to identify alternative REE sources, especially those driving a resurging U.S. domestic REE industry. Nevertheless, while the intentions of the Stockpiling program are valid, the solution to the problem may be flawed. According to the Strategic Materials Advisory Council (SMAC) if the DOD is serious about stockpiling HREE’s it will be limited to China as the source for the time being.  More importantly, the DoD spears to be contradicting itself by failing to promote the need for a greater role of U.S. mining and industry in securing these critical materials while other departments in government are doing more to hurt than to promote the necessary expansion of the U.S. mining industry that would ease dependency on outsiders. The ‘stockpiling’ plan then seems disingenuous, because left to be deployed under the current conditions, it fails to address the main risk: stockpiling, yes, perhaps; but from whom? The answer can only be China.


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Japan is celebrating the find of an “astronomically” high level of rare earth deposits at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, a discovery which will further undermine China’s failing attempts to control the global supply of the substances.

The deposits, a vital component in the production of a range of high technology equipment from smartphones to catalytic converters, were found around 5.8km under the ocean surface near Minami Torishima island south-east of Tokyo.

“We detected an astronomically high level of rare earth minerals in the mud we sampled,” Tokyo University boffin Yasuhiro Kato told Reuters.

“When researchers brought back the data to me, I thought they must have made a mistake, the levels were so high. The fact is this discovery could help supply Japan with 60 per cent of its annual needs merely with the contents of a single vessel.”

                

The find follows a much larger discovery by Japanese marine researchers in the Pacific two years ago and if the rare earths can be extracted cheaply enough, it could crucially give Tokyo the tactical upper hand over China in the on-going cat-and-mouse game between the two over supplies.

Beijing halted exports to Japan in September 2010 after a maritime dispute and has actively restricted exports to all countries since in a bid to drive up prices and force manufacturing investment onto its shores.

However, despite being investigated by the WTO for such policies, China has suffered in recent months as a slowdown in global demand combined with other countries re-starting their own mining operations, has sent prices tumbling.

In October last year, its largest mining company for light rare earths, Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare Earth Hi-Tech Company, was forced to suspend operations for a month to let demand pick-up. Japan take more than half of China's supply but is thought to have imported just 10,000 tons in 2012 – its lowest volume in a decade.

While last weekend’s undersea discovery will be well-received in Tokyo,, it’s unlikely to have any big repercussions in the near term, short of forcing China to keep its prices low.

China claims it holds less than a third of global rare earth reserves despite providing more than 90 per cent of the world’s supply.


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Frontier Rare Earths Limited is pleased to provide an update on the National Instrument 43-101 compliant ("NI 43-101")  Preliminary Feasibility Study ("PFS") that is being carried out at its Zandkopsdrift rare earth element project in South Africa ("Zandkopsdrift").

Following completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on Zandkopsdrift in Q1 2012, Frontier commenced work in Q2 2012 on the wide range of studies necessary to complete the PFS on Zandkopsdrift.  These studies are being carried out principally by the same multidisciplinary team of specialist consultants that was used by Frontier for the PEA.

Good progress has been made on the PFS since the update issued by the Company in November 2012, with most of the studies required for the PFS now complete. A number of improvements to the flow sheet for the Zandkopsdrift rare earth Processing Plant ("ZPP") have been identified since November 2012. The flow sheet has been revised accordingly and a confirmatory pilot scale metallurgical test program covering all major process steps was successfully completed in Q1 2013, following which the ZPP flow sheet was 'frozen' for the purpose of the PFS. The most significant remaining work required for the PFS is the finalization of engineering design and capital and operating cost estimates for the ZPP, which is currently under way and is scheduled for completion in July 2013. Accordingly, the results of the PFS are expected to be available and announced in Q3 2013.

With preparation of the PFS now at a very advanced stage, planning has commenced for the Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") on Zandkopsdrift, which will start immediately after the PFS and is expected to take 9-12 months to complete. Frontier is fully funded to complete the PFS and DFS on Zandkopsdrift from its existing cash resources. Along with its strategic partner, Korea Resources Corporation, which holds a 10% interest in and a 10% off take of production from Zandkopsdrift, Frontier intends to commence rare earth production in 2016, with a target production capacity of 20,000 tonnes of separated rare earth oxides per annum. This would position Frontier as one of the first new major rare earths producers and one of the largest producers of separated rare earths outside China.


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ProEdgeWire will host the Second annual Technology Metals Summit 2013 will be held on April 21-22, 2013 in Toronto, Canada and it will be the largest non-Chinese rare earth and critical minerals event of the year. Just days later, in the eastern hemisphere, the Association of China Rare Earth Industry (ACREI) will be holding its annual conference in Shanghai, China at the end of April. Having more than 302 companies as members and covering the whole rare earth industry chain from across the country, ACREI has become the largest rare earth industry organization in the world. It is not unique, but has its counterpart. While the events are no doubt different, especially insofar as the politics realities of rare earths are concerned, both will provide platforms for useful and necessary discussions in the sector.

It is a complex period for the world’s rare earth industry. A sharp drop in rare earth prices over the last year has erased the profits of rare earth producers around the world, including, for instance, Molycorp, which reported heavy losses in 2012. China’s rare earth smelting separation plants have been facing a tidal wave of comprehensive losses due to a persistent slump in domestic market prices in January of this year, according to the latest report from the Association of Jiangsu Rare Earth Industries. Indeed, “2013 may be the most difficult year for the country’s rare earth sector”, Chinese insiders said.

                  

The problem is not the amount but the prices. China exported 1,106 metric tons of rare-earth ore, metals and compounds in February alone, up 289.12 percent compared with the same month of last year, the average export price was USD$ 22,654.13/ton, the total export value was USD$ 25.06 million, moreover, the other rare earth processed products accounted for a total 2,501 metric tons in exports, up 47.5 percent year-on-year with an average export price of USD$ 51,962.42/ton. In January, China exported 1,092 metric tons of rare earth ore, metals and compounds; the average export price was USD$ 25,540.9/ton, while the total export value was $27.89 million, according to the figures released by the China Customs Statistics Information Center on March 21, 2013.

The official figures showed China’s total exports to be 2,198 metric tons of rare earth oxide (REO) products in the first two months of this year, up 8.13 percent compared with the same period in 2012; however, the export prices continue to decline and remain relatively low on a month-on-month basis.

For China, things are a little more complicated. China’s rare earth enterprises faced various tests including industry consolidation, environmental assessments and industry access. Meanwhile, due to the weak demand and a supply glut, prices have dropped as a result; we can see that a light rare earth supply capacity of the rest of the world is starting to grow, which will make prices an issue of concern for the entire rare earth market in 2013. This makes the Toronto and Shanghai conferences in late April very important events as we look forward to the world’s rare earth industry leaders finding new ideas and new wisdom to boost rare earth prices.


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Hastings Rare Metals is noted for being one of the emerging rare metals plays with a strong potential to produce heavy rare earth oxides (HREO). Through its two REE projects, Hastings aims to become a leading global supplier of dysprosium.  The Company is already developing the largest Dysprosium project in Australia (with HREO resources at 35% HREO/ TREO).  Apart from Dysprosium, the Hastings project also distinguishes itself for having large and long term supplies (25 years) of Yttrium oxide, Niobium oxide and Zirconium oxide. Hastings has also been constantly searching – through acquisition and exploration – for additional tenements adjacent to its HREE project so as to gain additional leverage both in terms of exploration potential and infrastructure flexibility.

This week, Hastings announced the identification of two new REE target areas at the Hastings Project in Western Australia after analyzing related radiometric data, which would enable it to complement the current resource. Hastings plans to explore the new targets to evaluate their potential to yield economically viable mineralization; favorable indicators would then lead to drilling. The two additional targets have been identified as ‘Northern’ and ‘Southern”. The targets come with  historical data from soil samples indicating Niobium Oxide (Nb2O5) grades ranging from 0.07% to 0.16% and Yttrium Oxide at 0.06% over a continuous 240 metre wide zone.

Hastings said previous explorers had ignored these rather “encouraging” results to focus on the main target. Indeed, the Southern Target was the object of even less exploration and a recent rock sample yielded 0.18% Nb2O5. Shifting from geological to practical considerations, the new discoveries warrant additional exploration (given the limited yet favorable historical data) essentially expand the scope of the Hastings project, generating more opportunities to complement the already strong program, considered to have the fourth largest JORC heavy rare earth resource in the world. Nevertheless, the value of a rare earth project is only partly related to its resource, regardless of the quality of the mineralization.

                  

It is ever more important for REE explorers to have a viable processing plan in place well in advance. To this effect Hastings has been working with the Australian breakthrough Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO) to optimize the purification of targeted minerals. ANSTO was able to separate Zircon (Zr), Niobium (Nb) and Hafnium (Hf) from the bake-leach fluid, or liquor, achieving an almost total rejection of major impurities. Similar results were obtained for Yttrium (Y). ANSTO’s very significant contribution has been to alter the chemistry in order to considerably extend the liquor’s stability, facilitating control of the process and the extraction of the value-added minerals. For Hastings, this translates to a strategic advantage because it will be able to produce separate REE streams, better matching the needs of individual customers, tailoring supply to demand.

ANSTO has accumulated a vast experience with rare earth projects in validating the chemistry of REE resources, determining sulphation and water leaching parameters among other tests; ANSTO has also worked to improve solvent extraction methods for the recovery of such critical minerals as zirconium and niobium as well as rare earths via solvent extraction and selective stripping. Hastings has also pursued a strategic marketing effort, securing important industry and government contacts in Europe, especially Germany and France, by taking advantage of  Australian trade missions to target the European market, now scrambling to secure reliable REE supplies to boost renewable energy technologies.


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Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. is one of the few truly integrated companies in the REE field outside of China and its Steenkampskraal project in South Africa project enhances this aspect. The fits within Great Western’s reputation as one of the most vertically integrated companies in the rare earths sector. The Company has pursued and developed mining and processing capabilities in Europe, North America and South Africa.  Great Western has also cultivated important relationships in China such that in 2010, the Company established a joint venture agreement with Ganzhou Qiandong Rare Earth Group. The exploration side is complemented by two specialty alloy manufacturers supplying the aerospace, battery and magnet sectors.

The Steenkampskraal project will also provide raw material to the development of the Company’s processing units. On March 18, 2013, GWMG released a very favorable Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Steenkampskraal project. The PEA was announced just days after GWMG announced that its wholly owned subsidiary of Less Common Metals Limited (“LCM”) has now started commercial production rare earth specialty alloy using a new rare earth alloy strip casting furnace, delivering the products to three customers with more deliveries planned before the end of the Quarter while a second strip casting furnace is expected for delivery later this spring, adding to GWMG’s commercial capacity and a establishing an additional source of revenue growth. The fact that GWMG has invested in the special furnaces suggests that the Company is confident in the market potential for rare earth alloys.

                  

The PEA is based on the recently filed SEDAR filed Resource Estimate for the Project, the highlights of which are Inferred mineral resources of 278,000 tons (avg. 15.2% TREO) and Indicated Resources of 176,000 tons (avg. 18.2% TREO). The high grades of the resource allow GWMG to produce higher grade products at lower production costs, which when added to the growing alloy business suggest the project is fully on track. GWMG also said it is very interested in studying off-take agreements to further facilitate the financing of the project while establishing the basis for long term supply customers. The NI 43-101 resource estimate for the Steenkampskraal Rare Earth mine issued last spring indicated 45,500 tons with 22.3% total rare earth oxides (TREO –  including Yttrium), 21.46% light rare earth oxides (LREO) and 0.86% heavy rare earth oxides (HREO). The results fulfilled Great Western’s expectations warranting the Company to pursue further exploration to expand the resource base.

The updated estimate has virtually more than doubled the tonnages with indicated resources of 176,000 and inferred resources of 278,000 with TREO percentages of 18.2% and 15.2% respectively. GWMG is well integrated, owning downstream facilities that produce special alloys for the aerospace industry in the USA and UK. By expanding the resource GWMG can expect to feed its own and others’ downstream activities such as to become one of the premier HREO suppliers in the world, making it one of the most vertically integrated companies in the rare earths sector. GWMG also is also exploring properties in North America and has secured ties to China’s Ganzhou Qiandong Rare Earth Group through a joint venture deal. Great Western, therefore, has an advantage in the race to offset China’s dominant position in rare earths production. GWMG expects to begin mixed rare earth chloride production no longer than two years after obtaining full project financing (at about 5,000 tons/year REO a year) such as to launch separated REO production a year after that.The Chinese government’s continuing consolidation and tighter supply of the REE industry, which has stimulated the re-opening of REE mines and exploration outside of China, has contributed greatly to investors’ interest in this sector. While, China is always in a position to start flooding the REE market (even though there are substantial political and economic reasons for which this is less likely than last year) However, there is always the lingering awareness that China, which is to REE what Saudi Arabia is to oil, could decide to reverse its policy (not that there is any chance of that now) and flood the market with cheap rare metals. Great Western’s proposition is that it helps to meet the current demand for the rare earths while also controlling rare earth deposits in more than one continent.


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The Indian minister said such mining projects of IREL were located at the Orissa Sand Complex (OSCOM) at Chatrapur in the eastern state of Odisha, at Manavalakurichi in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and at Chavara in Kerala.

The minister had also mentioned that due to the limited availability of mineable land carrying raw beach sand, and the gradual decline in heavy mineral contents in the sand, the mining activities at Chavara and Manavalakurichi had declined over the years.

He had further said that there were some projects in the pipeline for capacity expansion like the one at OSCOM, and another, separated high purity rare earths project by the Rare Earth Division of IREL at Chavara, Kerala.

While Kerala has been one of the Indian states where rare earths are being traditionally mined and extracted, the details of the new plant proposed to be set up by KIOCL are yet to be revealed.

Over the past year or so, India and Japan have been cozying up to each other in REE production.

As reported in MetalMiner, India had recently agreed with Japan to jointly develop rare earths capabilities, and was also said to be watching with keen interest Japan’s prospecting for REE in the Pacific Ocean. In November 2012, Japan had signed an agreement to import 4,100 tons of rare earths on an annual basis from India.

There’s also a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho called Toyotsu Rare Earths India Pvt. Ltd. based at Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, involved in the production of rare earths. The company operates a monazite sand rare earth production base.

The new-found alliance between Japan and India was interpreted in geo-political circles as a move to counter China’s dominance in the rare earths field.


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The rare-earth market this week downturn continues, the market turnover is still praseodymium, neodymium, gadolinium, dysprosium oxide-based. Downturn bearish market mentality, the market traded prices down low.
    
Neodymium oxide, praseodymium Monday rare earth market price decreased slightly, and for two days the market selling cheap, despite the advertised cheap, people do not think the odd onlookers. It is understood that the neodymium oxide, praseodymium excluding tax price from Monday 26 yuan / ton is approaching 257,000 yuan / ton, including tax transaction price of 305,000 yuan / ton. The dysprosium oxide market transactions poor, the transaction price drop to 200 yuan / ton. Gadolinium oxide market inquiries still more tax price basically remained stable, the current market tax 140,000 yuan / ton, the transaction price is slightly lower.
    
Week lanthanum, cerium class oxides price temporarily stable, the current price is higher than the year ago price decreased slightly, but still hardly be bottoming out. Such excess supply of rare earth products market, buyers are also mostly beat price purchases. Praseodymium, neodymium class oxides price payable to non-powered praseodymium oxide market tax price of 360,000 yuan / ton, down significantly from the 380,000 in February, neodymium oxide market tax 32-33 yuan / ton, the same The magnitude of the downstream.
    
Pr-Nd alloy market price has dropped to less than 400,000 yuan / ton, of gadolinium iron and dysprosium iron price temporarily stabilized, but the turnover downturn. If the market next week, the increase in purchase prices may be unstable.
    
Customs yesterday announced the latest rare earth export data: Chinese exports of rare earth 1,106 tons in February, a significant increase of 289.12 percent year-on-year, the average price of U.S. $ 22,654.13 / ton. Two months before the cumulative export volume of 2,198 tons, a year-on-year growth of 8.13%.

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Japanese marine research and development institutions and the research team of the University of Tokyo announced by the Japanese survey of deep-sea research vessel "Ridge surveys have identified Japan, South Bird Island waters near the seabed mud layer contains a high concentration of rare earth.
    
The research team in Japan in January this year on the seabed sludge collected from the South Bird Island around 7, with a maximum depth of 5800 meters, the analysis of rare earth concentration of up to 0.6%.
    
Members of the research team, the University of Tokyo professor Kato Thai ho sludge collected in the past last year analyzed, speculated that can be used in the manufacture of hybrid cars, dysprosium and other rare earth buried in the seabed mud layer surrounding Japan's exclusive economic zone of the South Bird Island, and its total available for domestic consumption in Japan 230 years.

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