Vital MetalsSA国际影视传媒� early stage commissioning of its Saskatoon rare earth extraction plant has officially begun, according to a June 17 update from Bill Braden, media relations manager at Cheetah Resources.
Rare earth ore that was mined at Vital MetalsSA国际影视传媒� Nechalacho project (located approximately 100 km southeast of Yellowknife) during mid-2021 will now be moving into processing and supply chain in keeping with the companySA国际影视传媒檚 ongoing next steps.
RELATED REPORTING: NWT mine on the verge of extracting CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 first rare earths
SA国际影视传媒淐ommissioning and ramp-up of the Saskatoon plant will occur over two phases: the product qualification phase before the throughput ramp-up phase commences,SA国际影视传媒� reads the notice from Vital Metals, the parent company to Cheetah Resources.
Vital MetalsSA国际影视传媒� Saskatoon facility is located near a rare earths processing plant under construction by the Saskatchewan Research Council as part of a rare earths hub in that province.
SA国际影视传媒淚nitial focus is production of 2.5 tonnes of rare earth carbonate at specification for delivery to off-take partner REEtec (a Norwegian customer) in accordance with agreed qualification protocols,SA国际影视传媒� the June 17 update stated.
The targeted time frame for delivery of the product to the client is currently set for October 2022.
On top of this, the company will also announced that it has commenced feeding ore into a dense medium separation (DMS) plant SA国际影视传媒� a technique used to separate particles based on specific gravity SA国际影视传媒� as part of commissioning its rare earth extraction facility in Saskatoon.
Vital Metals will commission the provincial facility incrementally over the coming months.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is an exciting step for the company as we continue our transition from rare earth developer to operator,SA国际影视传媒� said Geoff Atkins, managing director of Vital Metals.
SA国际影视传媒淲e are targeting to produce 2.5 (tonnes) of carbonate for REEtec as an important step of our production qualification process before we commence ramping up our volume,SA国际影视传媒� Atkins stated. SA国际影视传媒淲e are forecasting for this to occur in October 2022.SA国际影视传媒�
Under Vital MetalsSA国际影视传媒� amended off-take agreement with REEtec, the miner will incrementally deliver 187.5t NdPr (neodymium and praseodymium, which power the strongest types of rare earth magnets) to REEtec and a minimum of 750 tonnes per year NdPr over five years (totaling 3,750 tonnes of NdPr) contained within approximately 2,000 tonnes of ore per year.
Earlier in 2022, Vital Metals was advised that it will have access to $5 million in funding from PrairiesCan under CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Jobs and Growth Fund to assist with working capital during ramp-up of its operations, including establishing the Saskatoon facility.
SA国际影视传媒淰ital will commence repaying the (loan) in monthly installments over five years from April 2024,SA国际影视传媒� reads the notice.
