HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwired - April 28, 2015) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX VENTURE:UCU)(OTCQX:UURAF) ("Ucore" or "the Company") is pleased to report additional results of its ongoing testing of the use of Molecular Recognition Technology ("MRT") for the separation of rare earth elements ("REE's") from Bokan-Dotson Ridge feedstock. The Company reports that the final REE separation, being the separation of Samarium ("Sm") and Gadolinium ("Gd") from each other, has been achieved with the following results:
| Rare Earth Element |
Purity1 |
| Samarium (Sm) |
99.2% |
| Gadolinium (Gd) |
99.2% |
| 1) Purity reported for solution prior to salt production |
These results are in addition to the separations previously reported by the Company in its press release dated March 2, 2015.
"We are very pleased with the continued progress being made by IBC with respect to ongoing improvement in the MRT rare earth separation process," said Jim McKenzie, President & CEO of Ucore. "We look forward to completing pilot scale testing of this promising nano technology."
The testing was conducted on beneficiated material sourced from the Company's Bokan Dotson-Ridge property in Southeast Alaska. The pregnant leach solution ("PLS") was prepared by Hazen Research, Inc. of Denver Colorado, using the metallurgical process outlined in the Company's Preliminary Economic Assessment (see Ucore press release dated January 15, 2013).
Individual carbonate salts of Sm and Gd were produced utilizing a proprietary Molecular Recognition Technology ("MRT") circuit developed by IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc. of American Fork, Utah ("IBC"). Full load, wash and elution cycles were performed using IBC's SuperLig® resin in column mode. Elution was accomplished with a small volume of eluent (acid).
As announced by the Company on March 3, 2015, Ucore and IBC have entered into an agreement for the exclusive rights to IBC's SuperLig® Molecular Recognition Technology for rare earth separation, recycling, as well as tailings processing applications. (See Ucore Press release dated March 3, 2015)
Pilot scale testing is planned next to confirm the successful laboratory results. IBC's flow sheet is designed to recover each individual REE at > 99% purity and contains the following steps. Greater than 99% of the REE's, as a group, are first recovered from the PLS; followed by separation of the REE's into a light plus yttrium (La, Pr, Nd + Y) group ("LREE + Y") and a heavy + samarium (Sm-Lu) group ("HREE + Sm"). Individual selective separations of the REE's in each group are then made, as well as earlier individual separations of Sc and Ce.
Steven R. Izatt, President and CEO of IBC, has approved the scientific and technical content of this news release and is the Qualified Person responsible for its accuracy. Mr. Izatt, Registered Member SME, holds an M.S. in Chemical Engineering Practice and an M.S. in Technology and Policy, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
About Ucore Rare Metals Inc.
Ucore Rare Metals Inc. is a development-phase mining company focused on establishing rare metal resources with near term production potential. With multiple projects across North America, Ucore's primary focus is the 100% owned Bokan - Dotson Ridge REE property in Alaska. The Bokan - Dotson Ridge REE project is located 60 km southwest of Ketchikan, Alaska and 140 km northwest of Prince Rupert, British Columbia and has direct ocean access to the western seaboard and the Pacific Rim, a significant advantage in developing near term production facilities and limiting the capital costs associated with mine construction.
This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities, development timelines, and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of financing, and general economic, market or business conditions.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.