Launch of Commercial Shipments of Rare Earth Product to EurProducing concentrate faster than I would have expected, 3000 tons.
Last two paragraphs got my attention.
"Significant quantities of Monazite are produced around the world as a byproduct of zircon and titanium production from heavy mineral sand operations, including large resources in the U.S.,
Australia,
Brazil,
South Africa, and other nations. Energy Fuels is in discussions with several parties to secure additional quantities of Monazite that it can use to expand this quickly emerging rare earth initiative. Energy Fuels has a goal of processing 15,000 tons of Monazite or more per year in the future. For perspective, 15,000 tons of Monazite per annum would contain rare earths equal to roughly 50% of total current U.S. demand, while only utilizing approximately 2% of the White Mesa Mill's existing throughput capacity and less than 1% of its existing tailings capacity.
Monazite from the southeast U.S. typically contains roughly 55% total rare earth oxides ("TREO") of which the magnetic elements neodymium and praseodymium ("NdPr") comprise approximately 22% of the TREO. NdPr are among the most valuable of the rare earth elements, as they are the key ingredient in the manufacture of high-strength permanent magnets that are essential to the lightweight and powerful motors required in electric vehicles, permanent magnet wind turbines used for renewable energy generation, and a variety of other modern technologies, including, mobile devices and defense applications. U.S. Monazite also contains approximately 14.4% "heavy" rare earths on a TREO basis, including roughly 1.5% dysprosium and terbium which have additional important magnet and national defense applications."