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Heavy Rare Earths Limited (“HRE” or “the Company”) is pleased to report assays from another 118 air core holes from its recently completed 441-hole rare earth exploration and resource expansion drilling program at its 100 per cent-owned Cowalinya project in the Norseman-Esperance region of Western Australia.
- Assays received for additional 118 holes from HRE’s rare earth exploration and resource expansion drilling program at Cowalinya
- Further thick and/or high-grade rare earth intercepts reported
- Widespread rare earth mineralisation now occurs over 5 kilometres of strike and up to 3 kilometres wide in an expanded Western Zone
- New drill intersections include:
- AC424: 6 metres @ 2597 ppm TREO (54.8% magnet REOs) from 9 metres and 4 metres @ 1976 ppm TREO (31.8% magnet REOs) from 21 metres
- AC440: 14 metres @ 1278 ppm TREO (24.8% magnet REOs) from 14 metres
- including 4 metres @ 3040 ppm TREO from 18 metres
- AC361: 6 metres @ 1771 ppm TREO (23.9% magnet REOs) from 20 metres
- including 4 metres @ 2489 ppm TREO from 22 metres
- AC363: 10 metres @ 1200 ppm TREO (19.9% magnet REOs) from 30 metres
- including 4 metres @ 2437 ppm TREO from 34 metres
- AC412: 22 metres @ 1018 ppm TREO (24.7% magnet REOs) from 16 metres
- including 2 metres @ 4087 ppm TREO from 18 metres
- AC344: 12 metres @ 1212 ppm TREO (18.5% magnet REOs) from 22 metres
- including 4 metres @ 2008 ppm TREO from 26 metres
- AC418: 5 metres @ 1784 ppm TREO (24.2% magnet REOs) from 21 metres
- AC269: 14 metres @ 1135 ppm TREO (25.3% magnet REOs) from 10 metres
- including 4 metres @ 1646 ppm TREO from 12 metres
- AC387: 21 metres @ 867 ppm TREO (25.1% magnet REOs) from 24 metres
- AC312: 36 metres @ 656 ppm TREO (23.3% magnet REOs) from 18 metres
- AC424: 6 metres @ 2597 ppm TREO (54.8% magnet REOs) from 9 metres and 4 metres @ 1976 ppm TREO (31.8% magnet REOs) from 21 metres
Most of these assays have been returned from holes in the newly discovered Western Zone of rare earth mineralisation (refer to ASX announcements 3 January 2023, 31 January 2023 and 1 March 2023) located west of and, in a significant expansion of this zone, south-west of the Cowalinya South resource1. The Western Zone now strikes over a minimum of 5 kilometres and is 3 kilometres wide (Figure 1). It has an average thickness of 11.3 metres, a material increase on the ~9 metre average thickness of the Cowalinya resource2.
Assays from 9 of 11 adjacent 200-metre-spaced holes in the Western Zone along 6358600N (AC303-AC313) feature 14- to 36-metre-thick mineralised intervals grading up to 814 ppm TREO. This line of holes is positioned mid-way between drill traverses for which cross- sections were presented in previous announcements (refer to section A-B in ASX announcement 3 January 2023, and section C-D in ASX announcement 1 March 2023).
Two kilometres further south along 6356600N, section A-B which measures 2.2 kilometres in length, comprises twelve 200-metre-spaced holes AC173-AC175 and AC410-AC418. Over half of these holes intersected thick and/or high-grade rare earth mineralisation as shown in Figure 2, and these intercepts are listed below:
- AC175: 22 metres @ 576 ppm TREO from 22 metres
- AC411: 20 metres @ 755 ppm TREO from 15 metres
- AC412: 22 metres @ 1018 ppm TREO from 16 metres
- AC413: 10 metres @ 747 ppm TREO from 17 metres
- AC415: 16 metres @ 929 ppm TREO from 11 metres
- AC417: 6 metres @ 1010 ppm TREO from 23 metres
- AC418: 5 metres @ 1784 ppm TREO from 21 metres.
Holes from the adjacent drill line 400 metres south also returned assays as high as 2597 ppm TREO over 6 metres.
Assays are awaited from another 30 holes which will complete the drilled extent of widespread saprolite-hosted rare earth mineralisation in the Western Zone on HRE’s E63/1972 tenement. They are expected to be reported during April.
Table 1: Mineralised saprolite intervals from all 2022 drilling that exceed the average grade-thickness of the mineralised horizon in the Cowalinya deposit. Newly reported holes are highlighted at the top.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Heavy Rare Earths, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
HRE:AU
ChemX Materials: Developing Innovative Processing Technology to Produce High Purity Alumina
ChemX Materials (ASX:CMX) develops innovative processing technology to produce high purity alumina for advanced technology and clean energy applications. The company's 100 percent owned, Australian patented HiPurA® process technology offers a low cost and energy intensity production method to produce high purity alumina (HPA).
HPA is used in advanced technology and clean energy applications including lithium-ion batteries, LEDs, semiconductors and synthetic sapphires. Synthetic sapphires are critical in the production of applications such as smart watches, iPhones and laptop screens.
ChemX Materials is also developing a high purity manganese project. The Jamieson Tank project is located on two exploration tenements, EL 5920 and EL 6634 in the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. These tenements collectively cover an area of 718 km2.
ChemX Materials completed a 94-hole drill program at the Jamieson Tank project, totaling 6,164 metres and released its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate in September 2023. The Mineral Resource Estimate reported 13.1 Mt at 5.7 percent manganese, with 21 percent classified as Indicated and 79 percent classified as Inferred.
Company Highlights
- ChemX Materials Limited (ChemX Materials) is an Australian company developing an innovative, processing technology to produce high-purity alumina (HPA), this process is called HiPurA®.
- ChemX Materials owns 100 percent of HiPurA® and was granted an Australian patent for this technology in January 2024.
- High purity alumina is used in advanced technology and clean energy applications including lithium-ion batteries, LEDs, semiconductors, smart watches and iPhones.
- The HiPurA® process is modular, scalable and uses a readily available aluminous chemical as its feedstock, therefore is not reliant on mine production offtake, all of which enable the technology to be deployed close to end users' manufacturing operations.
- ChemX Materials has proven HiPurA® can produce above 4N (99.99 percent) high purity alumina at micro plant scale. This testwork indicates HiPurA® is low in cost and energy intensity.
- ChemX Materials is constructing a pilot plant to demonstrate HiPurA® can work at scale, which is the next step towards commercialisation. The pilot plant construction is underway and on track for commissioning in June 2024.
This ChemX Materials profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with ChemX Materials (ASX:CMX) to receive an Investor Presentation
ChemX Materials
Overview
ChemX Materials (ASX:CMX) is a critical materials company developing innovative processing technology to produce high purity alumina for advanced technology and clean energy applications.
ChemX Materials’ 100 percent owned, Australian patented HiPurA® process technology offers a low cost and energy intensity production method to produce high purity alumina (HPA).
HPA is used in advanced technology and clean energy applications including lithium-ion batteries, LEDs, semiconductors and synthetic sapphires. Synthetic sapphires are critical in the production of applications such as smart watches, iPhones and laptop screens.
Company Highlights
- ChemX Materials Limited (ChemX Materials) is an Australian company developing an innovative, processing technology to produce high-purity alumina (HPA), this process is called HiPurA®.
- ChemX Materials owns 100 percent of HiPurA® and was granted an Australian patent for this technology in January 2024.
- High purity alumina is used in advanced technology and clean energy applications including lithium-ion batteries, LEDs, semiconductors, smart watches and iPhones.
- The HiPurA® process is modular, scalable and uses a readily available aluminous chemical as its feedstock, therefore is not reliant on mine production offtake, all of which enable the technology to be deployed close to end users' manufacturing operations.
- ChemX Materials has proven HiPurA® can produce above 4N (99.99 percent) high purity alumina at micro plant scale. This testwork indicates HiPurA® is low in cost and energy intensity.
- ChemX Materials is constructing a pilot plant to demonstrate HiPurA® can work at scale, which is the next step towards commercialisation. The pilot plant construction is underway and on track for commissioning in June 2024.
Key Business Segments
High Purity Alumina Processing Technology - HiPurA®
ChemX Materials is developing an innovative processing technology to produce high-purity alumina (HPA). This process is called HiPurA®. ChemX Materials owns 100 percent and holds an Australian patent for HiPurA®. ChemX Materials has proven HiPurA® can produce above 4N (99.99 percent) pure HPA at micro plant scale. This test work has also demonstrated that HiPurA® is superior compared to alternative technologies, offering several advantages, including:
- Lower costs – both capital and operating.
- Independent feedstock - – process is not tied to mine production and uses a readily available aluminous industrial chemical.
- Easily scalable – production output can increase based on demand.
- Modular – can be built near end users’ manufacturing operations.
- Optionality – patented technology can be licenced to end users.
- Lower carbon footprint – technology is not energy intensive.
HPA has several applications, the most important being lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage applications. HPA is used in the coating of the battery separator to enhance safety and performance. The outlook for EVs is very promising. With the adoption of EVs growing rapidly year on year as governments across the globe deploy domestic incentives and regulations to reduce the use of internal combustion engines to meet net zero targets.
HPA is also a key in the production of synthetic sapphire, which is used in LEDs, semiconductors, lasers, optical lenses and medical devices.
ChemX Materials has proven its HiPurA® technology can achieve above 99.99 percent (4N) HPA purity at micro plant scale. Following the technical success of the micro plant, ChemX Materials is constructing a 24 tpa pilot plant in Western Australia. The pilot plant is expected to be operational in June 2024.
In January 2024, ChemX Materials was granted an Australian Patent for its innovative HiPurA® technology. Based on the success of the Australian patent, it is anticipated that ChemX Materials will be afforded similar protections in other international jurisdictions. The patent is important as it provides intellectual property protection as ChemX Materials seeks to commercialise the technology globally.
HPA production from the pilot plant will be used for customer qualification and marketing purposes. ChemX Materials is actively pursuing commercial opportunities globally. Commercialisation options include:
- Build, own, operate a commercial scale plant to sell high purity alumina to end users.
- Licence the HiPurA® technology for deployment at end users’ manufacturing locations.
High Purity Manganese Project
ChemX Materials is developing a high purity manganese project. The Jamieson Tank project is located on two exploration tenements, EL 5920 and EL 6634 in the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. These tenements collectively cover an area of 718 km2.
ChemX Materials completed a 94-hole drill program at the Jamieson Tank project, totaling 6,164 metres and released its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate in September 2023. The Mineral Resource Estimate reported 13.1 Mt at 5.7 percent manganese, with 21 percent classified as Indicated and 79 percent classified as Inferred.
High purity manganese has essential applications in lithium-ion batteries as a cathode material. Manganese provides energy density, stability and lower costs and is a critical material for modern battery chemistries. As the world pursues decarbonisation it is forecasted that the demand for manganese will grow.
With the objective of the United States Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to reduce its reliance on Chinese sources of critical minerals, by 2025, the Jamieson Tank project is an important prospect. China currently supplies around 95 percent of the global manganese sulphate.
The South Australian jurisdiction offers excellent infrastructure. The Jamieson Tank project is in a province that is characterised by rapidly growing renewable energy infrastructure (wind, solar and hydrogen) and access to a local skilled workforce. The Jamieson Tank project is accessible by road, approximately 160 kms from the port of Whyalla and near a major regional airport.
The tenements in which the Jamieson Tank project is located also host kaolin and rare earth elements (REE) deposits. The area has historically been well known and explored for its potential for kaolin. The Kelly Tank exploration target is estimated to be 55 - 130 Mt of extractable kaolin.
In 2022, ChemX Materials undertook a drilling program and identified REE hosted within the kaolin throughout the tenements. The drilling program intersected high-grade REE mineralisation with intervals of up to 5 metres @2,468 parts per million total rare earth oxides from 7 metres. Importantly, it remains open in various directions, providing potential exploration upside for future drill programs.
Management Team
Peter Lee – Chief Executive Officer
20+ years’ experience across mining, metals processing and chemical industries within Canada and Australia. Lee has held technical leadership roles with companies including Rio Tinto, BHP, Roy Hill and WSPGolder. He is an expert in refining and electrochemical processes and a registered P. Eng Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia, Canada, and a member of AusIMM and AICD.
Warrick Hazeldine – Non-executive Chair
Warrick Haseldine has more than 20 years of experience across capital markets and strategic communications with a focus on battery materials. He is the co-founder of advisory firm Cannings Purple, and former chair and non-executive director of Global Lithium Resources Ltd (ASX:GL1). Hazeldine is currently a director of Surfing WA, advisory board member of Curtin University, and a non-executive director of Purple.
Stephen Strubel – Executive Director and Company Secretary
Stephen Strubel is the company founder with 20 years’ experience in finance and corporate governance. Struber held a senior leadership role with Patersons Securities and has been a director and company secretary for ASX-listed companies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in banking and international trade from Victoria University and an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business.
Alwyn Vorster – Non-executive Director
Alwyn Vorster has 30+ years’ experience in the resources industry, spanning several commodities including rare earths, iron ore, bauxite, potash and salt. Vorster has several senior leadership positions including chief executive officer of Hastings (ASX:HAS) and managing director of BCI Minerals (ASX:BCI) and Iron Ore Holdings (ASX:IOH). Vorster is currently non-executive director of Lindian Resources (ASX:LIN) and Arrow Minerals (ASX:AMD).