NioCorp Developments Ltd. (TSX:NB, OTCQX:NIOBF) said its demonstration-scale processing plant has succeeded in producing a high-purity mixed rare earth concentrate from Niocorp's integrated demonstration plant.
The encouraging results at the L3 Process Development in Quebec lend support to the technical feasibility of separating high-purity oxides of several key magnetic rare earths from ore comprising the Elk Creek critical mineral project.
"These results are right in line with our expectations and are a reflection of the excellent technical pedigree of the L3 team along with a tremendous amount of hard work to get the demonstration plant built, commissioned and operating," Scott Honan, Niocorp's chief operating officer said in a statement.
READ:NioCorp Developments says rare earth demonstration plant showing positive recovery results
"In the coming weeks, we look forward to seeing additional results from L3's efforts, including the final portions of the operation involving niobium and titanium separations," he added.
Based on these results and subject to additional demonstration testing over the coming weeks, L3's process engineering team has determined that overall recoveries for these four magnetic rare earths are likely to be greater than 92% and meet commercial purity specifications for magnetic rare earth oxides.
Niocorp's patent-pending demonstration-scale rare earth extraction and purification solvent extraction process operation is continuing in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, using solutions generated by the upstream operations of the demonstration plant. The rare earths were then precipitated out of solution, producing a solid that contains 6% praseodymium (Pr) oxide, 25% cent neodymium (Nd) oxide, 0.35% terbium oxide (Tb) and 1.6% dysprosium (Dy) oxide, with the balance of the solids consisting primarily of rare earths with minor base metal impurities.
"We are very pleased to be able to deliver these outstanding results to Niocorp using the demonstration plant equipment," said Eric Larochelle, co-owner of L3. "We have established a baseline of performance in the demonstration plant solvent extraction system, and expect to maintain or exceed these results as we gain further operating experience with that system."
L3 is currently completing the assembly and commissioning of additional solvent extraction steps that will be run in concert with the rest of the demonstration plant to confirm these recovery numbers.
Niocorp is currently focused on demonstrating its ability to recover three high-purity rare earth products: (1) neodymium-praseodymium oxide, which is the principal component of neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent rare earth magnets; (2) dysprosium oxide; and (3) terbium oxide. Both Dy and Tb oxide are critical to the type of powerful NdFeB magnets used in the traction motors of electric vehicles. However, very little of these high-purity separated rare earth products are made outside of Asia.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com