RE:PDAC2016: Video-Interview with Jim McKenzieThe vision is unveiled in this video and it is apparent that Bokan and outright mining has now become secondary to the expansion of MRTs "hub and spoke" concept. McKenzie appears to be flexible about how this might work for example using the HP printer model-sell the plant cheaply and then have the consumer pay big bucks for the ligands and solvents needed for production. He also mentioned that Ucore and IBC might build a plant (for free) adjacent to a larger production mining facility and this small MRT separation plant would process the tailings and extract rare earths, the profits from which would be shared between the company and Ucore. There appear to be a number of waste products that could be processed for rare earths which would produce secondary income for mining companies looking to cash in anyway possible. Lithium separation also seems to be a possibility.
Bottomline is that China can produce mined rare earths more cheaply from their facilities because they have made the cap x investments already. Recycling seems to be the only way to compete at this time due to the low price environment. Stay tuned for the next chapter which Jim intimated was not far away.