Business
Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Deposit: Successful Hydrometallurgical Test Work Results in Highly Efficient Process to Produce a Market Ready >98% Rare Earth Oxide Product
HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / October 7, 2021 / Namibia Critical Metals Inc. ("Namibia Critical...
About this update from Namibia Critical Metals Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Deposit: Successful Hydrometallurgical Test Work Results in Highly Efficient Process to Produce a Market Ready >98% Rare Earth Oxide ProductHALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / October 7, 2021 / Namibia Critical Metals Inc. (\"Namibia Critical Metals\" or the \"Company\" or \"NMI\") (TSXV:NMI) is pleased to provide an update on the development of the Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth project since granting of the Mining Licence in July this year. The Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Deposit is one of only two primary xenotime projects under development in the world. The deposit has the potential for significant production of dysprosium and terbium, the two most valuable heavy rare earth elements used in high powered magnets and other high-tech applications. The Project is being developed in joint venture with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (\"JOGMEC\") targeting a long term, sustainable supply of heavy rare earths to Japan.The Company has successfully completed hydrometallurgical test work to develop a flowsheet capable of producing a high-grade rare-earth oxide product from a xenotime flotation concentrate. The Company's lead metallurgical consultants at SGS Minerals Services Canada (SGS) have simplified the final process stage with an acid bake to crack the mineral xenotime, to purify the pregnant leach solution and to precipitate a rare earth oxalate, which is subsequently calcined to form a product containing >98% total rare earth oxides (TREO). The acid bake process and concurrent removal of impurities is highly efficient and resulted in a 95% recovery of Dysprosium and Terbium in the leaching operation of the processing flow sheet. The high-quality product is practically free of typical deleterious elements like thorium and uranium (<3 ppm combined U+Th).Darrin Campbell, President of Namibia Critical Metals stated:These very positive test results are another big milestone for the Lofdal project and show that we are on the right path towards establishing that Lofdal can produce a valuable heavy rare earth product. This will allow us to advance an updated assessment of large-scale and integrated rare earth production towards a high purity Rare Earth Oxide product in Namibia. This would result in further value addition in Namibia and puts the country on the global map of rare earth supply strategies.\"Hydrome...