Avalon Rare Metals

Avalon Rare Metals Inc.
Public
Traded as TSX: AVL
Industry Metals & Mining
Headquarters Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Key people
 Donald S. Bubar
(President & CEO)
Jim Andersen
(VP Finance, Corporate Secretary & CFO)
David Marsh
(SVP, Metallurgy & Technology Development)
Bill Mercer
(VP, Exploration)
Pierre Neatby
(VP, Marketing)
Mark Wiseman
(VP, Sustainability)
Products Rare Earth Elements, Lithium, Petalite, Tantalum, Cesium, Calcium Feldspar, Indium, Tin
Website www.avalonraremetals.com

Avalon Rare Metals Inc. is a mineral development company focused on rare metal deposits in Canada.[1] Its flagship project, the 100%-owned Nechalacho Deposit at Thor Lake, Northwest Territories, is exceptional in its large size and enrichment in the scarce 'heavy' rare earth elements (HREE), key to enabling advances in clean technology and other growing high-tech applications. With a positive feasibility study,[2] positive Environmental Assessment[3] approved and REE refining solution in place,[4] Nechalacho is now the most advanced potential large new source of heavy rare earths in the world outside of China, currently the source of most of the world's supply. Demand for HREE is currently growing rapidly because of their critical application in high strength permanent magnets which are vital to hybrid car technology and many popular consumer electronic products.

Avalon’s principal assets are its 100% owned Nechalacho Project (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories), Separation Rapids (near Minaki, Ontario), East Kemptville, Nova Scotia, Miramichi (New Brunswick), Lilypad Lakes (near Ignace, Ontario), and Warren Township[5] (Ontario).

Avalon is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange MKT under the symbol "AVL." It is also listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA) under the symbol OU5.

Projects

Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements Deposit

Avalon’s most developed resource is the Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements Deposit,[6] located 100 km southeast of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The Nechalacho Deposit contains the more valuable HREE such as europium, terbium, and dysprosium, along with neodymium. Avalon completed a Feasibility Study in April 2013, focused on defining high-grade, HREE-rich resources in the large Basal Zone of the deposit. Nechalacho is the first HREE project outside of China to have reached this milestone.

The Nechalacho Project is planned to consist of three facilities: an underground mine and concentrator, a hydrometallurgical plant and a rare earth refinery.

On July 29, 2013, the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board ("MVEIRB")completed its Report of Environmental Assessment and recommended approval of the Nechalacho Project. On November 4, 2013, the Federal government approved the Project, allowing the Company to proceed with formal applications for the required land use permits and water licenses to MVEIRB.[3]

First Nations Agreements

The Nechalacho Project at Thor Lake is situated in an area known as the Akaitcho Territory which is subject to a comprehensive land claim negotiation between several communities of the Dene Nation and Canada's federal government. In 2012, Avalon completed an Accommodation Agreement with the Deninu Kue First Nation.[7] The Accommodation Agreement provides business and employment opportunities for the Deninu Kue related to the project and contains measures to mitigate environmental and cultural impacts that may result from the project development. In February 2014, the company signed a Participation Agreement with the Northwest Territory Metis Nation.

Separation Rapids

Avalon is also developing a lithium (petalite) deposit, located 70 km north of Kenora in Ontario, Canada. The Separation Rapids property is host to a large “complex-type" pegmatite known as the Big Whopper; it is the fourth example in the world of a rare metal pegmatite with the size required to be of major economic importance. The strike length of the Big Whopper Pegmatite is over 1.5 km and the width ranges from 10 to 70 metres. The mineralized zone is well exposed at surface in a low dome-shaped hill. This part of the deposit will be readily amenable to mining by low-cost quarrying methods.

East Kemptville Project

The East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project is located approximately 45 km northeast of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in the vicinity of the former East Kemptville Tin Mine. In May 2014, Avalon entered into an agreement with the surface rights holder to secure access to lands held under the Special Licence for a limited drilling program, to confirm historic estimates of tin-copper-zinc resources remaining in the ground after production ceased at the East Kemptville mine in 1992, and bring them into compliance with NI 43-101 for reporting purposes. Avalon completed a seven-hole confirmation drilling program in September 2014.

Corporate sustainability

Avalon has made social responsibility, health and safety and environmental stewardship its cornerstones of development. In 2011, Avalon produced its first full corporate sustainability report, entitled Journey to a Sustainable Future, prepared within the framework of the GRI version G3.1.[8] A 2014 Sustainability Report Lead. Collaborate. Diversify. was released in December 2014.[9]

University Student Outreach Initiative

In 2011, Avalon established its University Student Outreach Initiative[10] to build and enhance the talent pools needed to design, improve and operate future facilities. Given the limited rare metals course material in Canadian universities, Avalon has partnered with several institutions to promote knowledge of rare metals within university curriculum. Institutions include: Canadian MBA Leadership Conference, McGill University, Ryerson University, Schulich School of Business, York University, Schulich School of Business, University of British Columbia, Mining Engineering, University of Toronto, University of Windsor, Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology and Western University.

Company representatives have delivered lectures to undergraduate chemistry, metallurgy, mining and geology classes, led graduate business seminars and sponsored student projects and case competitions. Avalon has also sponsored students to participate in industry conferences and provided research initiatives, cultivating the next generation of engineers and business leaders.

In addition, Avalon continues to actively organize, sponsor and participate in numerous PDAC and other major industry forums focused on technical and CSR-related specialties, as well as local community education programs.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Federal minister approves N.W.T. rare earth mine". CBC News. 2013-11-04. It follows the recommendation from the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Review Board in July, and marks a major milestone in the company's effort to turn the project into an operating mine. Avalon claims Nechalacho is “the most advanced large heavy rare earth development project in the world.”
  2. ↑ http://avalonraremetals.mwnewsroom.com/press-releases/avalon-announces-results-of-positive-feasibility-s-tsx-avl-201304170867454001
  3. 1 2 http://avalonraremetals.mwnewsroom.com/press-releases/avalon-receives-federal-government-approval-for-ne-tsx-avl-201311050909204001
  4. ↑ http://www.avalonraremetals.com/news_media/display/index.php?id=9978
  5. ↑ http://www.avalonraremetals.com/projects/
  6. ↑ http://www.avalonraremetals.com/projects/thor_lake/thor_lake_intro/
  7. ↑ http://avalonraremetals.mwnewsroom.com/press-releases/avalon-and-the-deninu-k-ue-first-nation-enter-into-tsx-avl-201206070796981001
  8. ↑ http://www.avalonraremetals.com/_resources/AVL_CSR2011_singlepages.pdf
  9. ↑ http://www.avalonraremetals.com/sustainability/sustainability_report/
  10. ↑ http://www.avalonraremetals.com/sustainability/academia_events/

External links

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