June 2012 Updates To The TMR Advanced Rare-Earth Projects Index

by Gareth Hatch on July 11, 2012 · 5 comments

in Rare Earths, Tools & Metrics

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I recently updated the list of projects on the TMR Advanced Rare-Earth Projects Index, to reflect three new rare-earth mineral-resource estimates that were announced recently. I also made some other updates. The effective date of the updates is July 6, 2012. The specifics:

  • Orbite Aluminae Inc. (TSX:ORT) announced an NI 43-101-compliant mineral-resource estimate for its Grande-Vallée project in Canada, on May 31, 2012. According to the associated Preliminary Economic Assessment, 1.21 Gt of the resource is at the Inferred level @ 0.05% TREO, at a cut-off grade of 18 wt% Al2O3.
  • Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd. (ASX:GGG, PK:GDLNF) announced a JORC-compliant mineral-resource estimate for its Zone 3 project in Greenland, on June 6, 2012. According to the associated press release, 95.3 Mt of the resource is at the Inferred level @ 1.11% TREO, at a cut-off grade of 0.015 wt% U3O8.
  • On June 14, 2012 Texas Rare Earth Resources Corp. (OTCQX:TRER) announced a NI 43-101-compliant mineral-resource estimate for its Round Top project in the USA. According to the associated press release, 127.4 Mt of the resource is at the Measured level @ 0.06% TREO, 231.8 Mt is at the Indicated level @ 0.06% TREO and 674.7 Mt is at the Inferred level @ 0.06% TREO (each at a cut-off grade of 0.0428% Y2O3).

I have also updated the pricing used in the Index data, to reflect the average monthly prices for June 2012 and the moving three-year average price for separated rare-earth oxides.

In addition, to the new projects above, two companies with projects on the Index announced updates to their existing resource estimates:

  • On June 8, 2012, Arafura Resources Ltd. (ASX:ARU, PK:ARAFF)) announced an update to its JORC-compliant mineral-resource estimate for the Nolans project in Australia. According to the associated press release, 4.3 Mt of the resource is at the Measured level @ 3.3% TREO, 21 Mt is at the Indicated level @ 2.6% TREO and 22 Mt is at the Inferred level @ 2.4% TREO (each at a cut-off grade of 1.0 wt% TREO).
  • MBAC Fertilizer Corp. (TSX:MBC, OTCQX:MBCFF) announced an update to its NI 43-101-compliant mineral-resource estimate for its Araxá project in Brazil, on June 19, 2012. According to the associated press release, 1.3 Mt of the resource is at the Measured level at 5.62% TREO, 5.0 Mt is at the Indicated level @ 4.83% TREO and 21.9 Mt is at the Inferred level @ 3.98% TREO (each at a cut-off grade of 2 wt% TREO).

One other note: the Zone 2 project in Greenland, owned by Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd. (ASX:GGG, PK:GDLNF) has been re-named as the Sørensen project by the company.

FYI, TMR is tracking a total of 440 rare-earth projects under development associated with 265 different companies in 37 different countries.

You can access the updated details via the Index page.

Update – July 12, 2012: The data for the Steenkampskraal project in South Africa, owned by Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (TSX.V:GWG, OCTBB:GWMGF), has been updated to reflect a minor correction to the Inferred resource estimate data for size and grade.

Disclosure: at the time of writing, Gareth Hatch holds no shares or stock options in any of the companies mentioned in this article, or in any publicly traded rare-earth company, nor is he doing paid consulting for any such company.

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1 blackjack July 12, 2012 at 7:10 AM

Nice work Gareth
but i wonder about the timing of all this
with the EU meltdown, China slowing etc will some of these co’s ever see the light of day or will they simply fleece investors
Its happening in OZ where companies are set up, keep doing cap raising, diluting the stocks and at the end of the day the CEO’s have milked the public and walked off into the sunset leaving the co and the shareholders with nothing
JUST a thought

2 Matt Silvestro July 12, 2012 at 11:25 AM

pretty low % TREO on some of these. I wonder what the economically feasible cut-off point is….

3 Gennady July 13, 2012 at 11:08 PM

Thank you. Valuable information. I want to help. 3,000 square miles of British Columbia: Ce-49.8/7.4+La-24.6/3.5+Y-13.74/5.07+Nb-1.21/0.03+Be-0.5/<0.1+Zr-14.8/0.8+Li-26/2.5+Rb-9.8/2.2+Cs-1.06/0.13+Sc-11/1.4+B-34/<1+Hf-0.37/0.02+Ge-0.2/<0.1+Tl-0.09/<0.02+Re-8/<1+Se-0.5/0.1+Te-0.0834+Zr-18.5+Hf-18.5+
Li-10.4+Re->8+Sc-7.8+La-7.0+Ce-6.7+Be>5+Se>5+Te>4+Tl>4.5+Rb-4.4+Cs-4.4+Ge>2+Y-2.4
30 samples. Sediment.
Question: Is there interest?
Best wishes. Gennady

4 peter mare July 18, 2012 at 10:06 PM

for Orbite, Matt, the REO (and other chemicals) are by-products of the extraction of the high purity and smelter-grade alumina, which makes ALL, as a result, very feasible.

5 jim July 22, 2012 at 6:05 PM

Orbite will be the first company in North America to produce Heavy REE……they have a game changing technology that is at least 2 to 3 years ahead of other companies….dont take them lightly..

Good Luck to ALL….

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