NeoMaterials and EFR Announce Joint REE ProductionInitiative https://www.energyfuels.com/2021-03-01-Neo-Performance-Materials-and-Energy-Fuels-Announce-Joint-Launch-of-U-S-European-Rare-Earth-Production-Initiative
TORONTO and LAKEWOOD, CO, March 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Neo Performance Materials (TSX: NEO) ("Neo") and Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels") are pleased to announce a new rare earth production initiative spanning European and North American critical material supply chains.
The initiative will produce value-added rare earth products from natural monazite sands, a byproduct of heavy mineral sands mined in the southeastern United States.
Energy Fuels will process the monazite sands into a mixed rare earth carbonate ("RE Carbonate") in Utah for use as feed material for Neo's value-added separated rare earth production plant in Europe. Energy Fuels is also continuing to evaluate developing additional value-added U.S rare earth production capabilities in Utah in the future.
Under an agreement in principle signed today by the companies' respective affiliates, subject to completion of definitive agreements, Colorado-based Energy Fuels will process natural monazite sands into an RE Carbonate beginning in March or April 2021 and ship a portion of that production to Neo's rare earth separations facility in Sillame, Estonia ("Silmet").
Neo will then process the RE Carbonate into separated rare earth materials for use in rare earth permanent magnets and other rare earth-based advanced materials.
Because of increasing demand for value-added rare earth materials in European manufacturing, Toronto-based Neo seeks to expand and diversify its current supplies of rare earth feedstock at Silmet, which is the only operational rare earth separations facility in Europe.
Silmet has been separating rare earths into commercial value-added products for more than 50 years.