News Ucore Announces Technical Services Agre
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Ucore Announces Technical Services Agreement with Innovation Metals Corp. for RapidSX(TM) Rare Earth Element Separation Technology Testing
V.UCU | 38 minutes ago
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 14, 2020) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company" is pleased to provide the following progress update with respect to the roll-out of its MINE to METAL to MARKET plan of strategic actions (the "M³ Plan" for its Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare Earth Project (the "Bokan Project" or "Bokan" further to the Company's press release of September 10, 2019.
Alaska SMC Separation Technology Testing with RapidSX™
Pursuant to the Metal component of the M³Plan, the Company is pleased to announce the execution of a binding Technical Services Agreement ("TSA" with Innovation Metals Corp. ("IMC" to commence a testing program (the "Study" for the processing of mixed rare-earth element ("REE"concentratesinto separated REE oxides ("REO" utilizing IMC's proprietary RapidSX™ REE separation technology. Developed and successfully piloted by IMC, RapidSX is an accelerated solvent-extraction-based REE separation technology for both heavy REE ("HREE" and light REE ("LREE"feedstocks with expected significant technical and economic efficiencies for producing commercial-grade REO. Developed by IMC with USD$1.8 million in assistance from the U.S. Department of Defense's ("DOD" U.S. Army Research Laboratory ("ARL", RapidSX combines the time-proven chemistry of solvent extraction ("SX", the international REE industry's standard commercial separation technology, with a new column-based platform, which significantly reduces time to process completion and plant footprint.
Under the terms of the TSA, IMC's bench-scale test work will be based on a mixed REE concentrate produced from Ucore's 100%-owned flagship Bokan Project, located at Bokan Mountain in Alaska, USA and/or other commercially available, U.S. allied-sourced, mixed REE concentrate feedstock sources currently under nearer-term consideration by Ucore. The Study will assess yield potential for targeted REE compounds and will include preliminary technical and economic estimates of the separation and purification process, including capital and operating costs. Based on IMC's prior test programs and subject to the specific results of this Study, the RapidSX™ REE separation technology, a derivative of SX technology, may offer a more efficient technological pathway for utilization in the Company's planned Alaska Strategic Metals Complex (the "Alaska SMC" in Southeast Alaska, USA. In this case, upon the conclusion of this preliminary Study, the Company may elect to incorporate this technology into its plans for the Alaska SMC and to conduct a more robust technical and economic evaluation of RapidSX™ for incorporation into the expected first phase of the Bokan Project Feasibility Study during 2020/21.