Further Upgrade to Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project, Wyoming - 2023

Rare Earth Deposits & Mining

Gibbs of ARE reported in early 2023 that Test work indicates lower capital and operating costs, together with a simple process flow sheet using conventional technology that will de-risk pathway to production.

Highlights

• Preliminary testwork shows a simple process to produce a rare earth concentrate and maximize the recovery of Neodymium and Praseodymium.
• Initial tests using Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separation (WHIMS) yielded 90.5% recovery for an upgrade factor of 3.3, rejecting 71.7% of feed mass.
• Optimal grind size of 500 microns will reduce primary energy usage, resulting in lower capital and operating costs.
• Recent tests build off outstanding mineralogy and comminution test work results previously announced to market in December 2022.

American Rare Earths is pleased to provide an update on metallurgical test work conducted on ore from the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming, USA. Under the guidance of Wood PLC, one of the world's leading engineering companies, the metallurgical test work completed to date indicates a simple process flowsheet (refer to Figure 1) as the ore responds well to conventional technology.

This enables notable opportunities to reduce the project’s operating and capital costs. After conducting a series of initial WHIMS tests, the optimal operating parameters produced a 90.5% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) recovery for a cumulative grade of 1.18% TREO (11,200ppm). This is an upgrade factor of 3.3 relative to the original feed material with 71.7% of feed mass being rejected at this early stage of the process. These results were based off a primary grind size of 80% passing 500 microns which is considered a coarse grind. This was consistent with mineralogy test work results that showed the target rare earth mineral Allanite can be easily liberated.

The coarser grind will result in lower operating costs as less energy will be consumed through the primary grinding circuit. Rejecting 71.7% of feed mass containing gangue (worthless) materials at this early stage of the process is very positive. This provides opportunities to reduce capital and operating costs, as well as supporting our commitment to minimise our environmental footprint. 

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