The Conversation (0)
Blackstone Minerals Limited (“Blackstone” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the Company has entered into a three-way Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Vietnam Rare Earths JSC (“VTRE”) and ASX listed, Australian Strategic Materials (“ASM”) to cooperate on opportunities to develop a fully integrated rare earths mine to metals value chain in Vietnam
- VTRE owns and operates the only Vietnamese midstream rare earths refinery and is seeking a strategic partner to develop upstream mining and processing capability;
- Blackstone has upstream mining and processing experience, with a world class in- country team located within the Northwest Vietnam rare earth district;
- ASM is an emerging vertically integrated producer of critical metals for advanced and clean technologies with a deep understanding of downstream processing of rare earths and the rare earth market.
The MOU was executed on the 25th July 2023, at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam and was witnessed by His Excellency Andrew Goledzinowski, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam.
Vietnam has the world’s largest Rare Earth Element ("REE") Reserves outside of China.1 The majority of Vietnam’s REE resources are located in the Northwest Region of Vietnam, in close proximity to Son La Province where Blackstone’s Ta Khoa Nickel Project is located. A number of potentially very high grade REE deposits are available to be permitted and developed by companies that can demonstrate a full value chain capability and deliver a “mine to metal” REE hub in Vietnam.
VTRE has owned and operated the only midstream REE refinery in Vietnam for the past 12 years with the vision to become a prestige producer and supplier of Rare Earth products and expand the product ranges to deliver multi options for customer needs whilst focussing on researching and using advanced technology for production.
On the 30th April 2023, VTRE entered into a binding agreement with ASM for the supply of Rare Earth Oxides with the intention to progress long term supply agreements potentially utilising Vietnam's natural resources.
Figure 1. Geology and Mineral Resources Vietnam
Under the MOU with Blackstone, VTRE and ASM agree to collaborate on the following initiatives, with the objective to enter into further binding agreements;
1. Blackstone and VTRE to assess existing REE licensed concessions and if appropriate, apply to secure the mining licenses under a Joint Venture Arrangement. The immediate focus will be a mining licence for one of the world class Dong Pao Deposits;
2. Blackstone agrees to allow VTRE access to the Company’s laboratory and piloting facilities located at the Ta Khoa Nickel Project at Ban Phuc Nickel Mines and with technical assistance from ASM to conduct a pilot flotation program for the beneficiation of REE concentrates from the Dong Pao deposit;
3. Blackstone, VTRE and ASM will explore a commercial model that can support a fully integrated mine to metals rare earth business.
The MOU has presented itself through the Company’s stakeholder development program, established to progress the Ta Khoa Project in Vietnam. In doing so, the Company has created a strategic position of having the required ‘know-how’ in Vietnam to progress mining and mineral processing opportunities. As such, VTRE has engaged Blackstone to explore an entry into the Rare Earth Market. The potential experience and knowledge gained through this REE project development program will be invaluable in advancing our flagship Ta Khoa Project.
Through Blackstone’s Ta Khoa Project partnership search process, the Company has engaged with a number of electric vehicle car manufacturers which have indicated an interest in securing REE’s for their supply chain. The Company’s primary focus continues to be the completion of the Ta Khoa Refinery DFS and securing a partnership for the Ta Khoa Project. Blackstone will ensure that no capital is required to be allocated to the REE strategy in the short to medium term.
For VTRE and ASM, this MOU is an extension of their existing relationship and their commitment to continue to explore long term supply agreements and manufacturing opportunities.
Figure 2. Fully integrated mine to metals rare earth business
Chairman of Vietnam Rare Earths Joint Stock Company Luu Anh Tuan said: "I welcome the opportunity to work with Blackstone on this MOU and building a long term relationship and extending my existing relationship with ASM, this is a great opportunity to develop the full value chain for Rare Earths in Vietnam".
ASM Managing Director & CEO Rowena Smith, said: “This MOU has the potential to drive a more collaborative approach within the rare earth elements and critical minerals sector and deliver positive outcomes for all parties involved.”
His Excellency Andrew Goledzinowski, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam commented: “Glad to see Australian and Vietnamese companies partnering together to form new critical minerals supply chains. Both countries are playing a role in diversifying and de-risking the availability of rare earth elements. This agreement leverages Australia’s world-leading regulatory frameworks for mining and resources, and Vietnam’s abundant labour supply and strong manufacturing base.”
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Blackstone Minerals Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
BSX:AU
Blackstone Minerals Investor Kit
- Corporate info
- Insights
- Growth strategies
- Upcoming projects
GET YOUR FREE INVESTOR KIT
Blackstone Minerals
Investor Insights
Blackstone Minerals is well-positioned to leverage a projected nickel supply deficit as it strives to become a vertically integrated producer of low-cost, low-carbon, battery-grade nickel. Key to this is Blackstone’s Ta Khoa project in Vietnam, an emerging hub for the electric vehicle market.
Overview
As the world moves closer to a sustainable net-zero future, the need for battery metals continues to mount and nickel may soon be among the metals to see a supply crunch. Though its roots are in the stainless steel sector, it's also a critical component of lithium-ion batteries.
Given that many nations are aiming to replace combustion vehicles with electric cars by 2030, the metal is already experiencing a massive spike in demand. Benchmark Minerals expects the need for battery-grade nickel will increase about 950 percent by 2040.
It's imperative to ramp up global nickel production but the resource sector, for its part, must do so with a much-reduced carbon footprint to influence the sustainability of the entire value chain. Blackstone Minerals (ASX:BSX,OTC:BLSTF,FRA:B9S) recognizes this. As a vertically integrated producer of low-cost, low-carbon nickel, the company aims to become a leading source of low CO2 emission nickel sulphide. Its flagship Ta Khoa project in Vietnam is representative of that goal.
Blackstone Minerals business structure schematic
With over 20 active mines and a burgeoning technology sector, Vietnam is on the road to becoming a hub of electric vehicle production and innovation, with low labor costs and regulated electricity pricing further driving its growth. Steadily increasing foreign direct investment in the region is indicative of this as the country seeks to attract $50 billion in new foreign investment by 2030.
Blackstone is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this, thanks to two factors. US President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, which came into force in August 2022, represents the largest investment into climate action in United States history. A similar initiative is rolling out in the European Union (EU), which maintains a Free Trade Agreement with Vietnam — something multiple partners of the company have expressed interest in.
Blackstone's Ta Khoa Project consists of two streams, the Ta Khoa Nickel Mine and the Ta Khoa Refinery. Recent milestones point to Blackstone’s commitment to advancing this game-changing project.
These milestones include a memorandum of understanding with Cavico Laos Mining to collaborate in a number of areas associated with CLM’s nickel mine in Lao People's Democratic Republic and supply of nickel products for Blackstone’s Ta Khoa Refinery in Vietnam.
Blackstone also partnered with Arca Climate Technologies to further investigate the carbon capture potential at the Ta Khoa Project through carbon mineralisation, and explore opportunities to utilise Arca’s carbon capture technologies within the project.
In a bid to collaborate on the supply of renewable wind energy to the Ta Khoa Project, Blackstone signed a direct power purchase agreement with Limes Renewables Energy.
Blackstone received AU$2.8 million as an advance from a research & development (R&D) lending fund backed by Asymmetric Innovation Finance and Fiftyone Capital. The advanced payment reflects the significant investment by Blackstone to develop the Ta Khoa Refinery process and Blackstone’s unique strategy to convert nickel concentrate blends into battery products in the form of precursor cathode active material (pCAM).
In December 2023, Blackstone entered into an option agreement with CaNickel Mining to acquire the Wabowden nickel projectlocated in the world-class Thompson Nickel Belt in Manitoba, Canada.
The Wabowden project will have the potential to fill the Ta Khoa Refinery, removing dependence on third party feed sources.
The company has signed a non-binding MOU with the Development for Resources Environmental Technology joint stock company (DRET) to investigate opportunities to repurpose and trade waste material (or residue) from the Ta Khoa Refinery into construction material products. Moreover, it has also progressed the Ta Khoa Refinery byproduct offtake strategy with Vietnam Chemical Group (VinaChem), PV Chemical and Equipment Corporation (PVChem) and Nam Phong Green Joint Stock Company (Nam Phong) to sell Ta Khoa Refinery byproducts, being manganese sulphate (or epsomite) and sodium sulphate.
As the company plans to build a global nickel business, Blackstone signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Yulho Co. Ltd (Yulho) and EN Plus Co. Ltd (EN Plus) to establish a collaboration across the businesses including EN Plus and Yulho who are in joint venture on the Ntaka Hill nickel sulphide project in Tanzania, and the Dinagat Island nickel laterite project in the Philippines.
Company Highlights
- The global nickel market is currently entering a structural deficit, with demand expected to grow 950 percent by 2040.
- Blackstone Minerals is well-positioned to address this deficit as a vertically integrated producer of low-cost, low-carbon nickel.
- Blackstone's flagship project Ta Khoa is a brownfield project situated in Vietnam, one of the lowest capital cost countries in the world and an emerging hub for the electric vehicle market with vast reserves of nickel.
- Vietnam is an increasingly attractive region for investment with direct foreign investments that grew from $1.3 billion in 2000 to $15.6 billion in 2020.
- The Ta Khoa project also has infrastructure advantages, via the existing Ban Phuc mine, and processing facilities, access to low-cost and underutilized hydroelectricity, a trained labor force and support from the local government.
- Blackstone Minerals’ downstream pre-feasibility study confirms a technically and economically robust hydrometallurgical refining process to upgrade nickel sulphide concentrate to produce battery-grade nickel.
- Blackstone’s key nickel and cobalt feedstocks for the Ta Khoa Refinery Pilot program were delivered to the metallurgical laboratory in Western Australia as of April 2022.
Key Project
Ta Khoa
Blackstone holds a 90 percent interest in the Ta Khoa Nickel-Copper-PGE Project, located 160 kilometers west of Hanoi in the Son La Province of Vietnam. It includes an existing modern nickel mine built to Australian Standards, which is currently under care and maintenance. The Ban Phuc nickel mine successfully operated as a mechanized underground nickel mine from 2013 to 2016.
Blackstone intends to complement the existing mine through the installation of a large concentrator, refinery and precursor facility, supporting integrated on-site production of nickel, cobalt and manganese precursor products for the Asia-Pacific market. One of Blackstone's key Research and Development objectives with Ta Khoa is to develop a flowsheet that will support this production.
To fulfill this goal, Blackstone is focusing on a partnership model, collaborating with groups committed to sustainable mining. It is also working to minimize its carbon footprint and implement a vertically integrated supply chain.
Project Highlights:
- Multiple Massive Sulphide Deposits: The Ta Khoa project features several incredibly promising deposits including King Snake (up to 4.3 percent nickel and 18.2 grams per ton (g/t) PGE), Sui Phong (2.95 meters @ 2.42 percent nickel, 0.52 percent copper, 0.06 percent cobalt and 0.05 g/t PGE), and Ban Chang. The project is also the site of the Ban Phuc nickel mine, which was operated from 2013 to 2016 by Asia Mineral Resources, along with several exploration targets that have yet to be tested.
- Experienced Leadership: Internally, Blackstone’s owners’ team brings over 50 years of experience in leadership roles at major nickel mines and refineries globally. This experience has been complemented by ALS Group, Wood, Future Battery Industries CRC, Curtin University and the Electric Mining Consortium.
- Large Reserve and Mining Inventory: The entirety of Ta Khoa is estimated to contain probable reserves of 48.7 Mt at 0.43 percent nickel for 210 kilotons (kt) of nickel and a mining inventory of 64.5 Mt at 0.41 percent nickel for 265 kt nickel. This excludes Ban Khoa and other developing prospects.
- A Long-lived Project: The Ta Khoa mine is expected to produce a yearly average of 18 kt of annual nickel concentrate over its ten-year lifespan. Blackstone believes the refinery can potentially extend its life past ten years.
- An Established Mining Operation: Existing infrastructure onsite includes a 450 ktpa Mill and mining camp. The mine will also benefit from a highly supportive community and favorable government legislation — Blackstone is committed to collaborating with community stakeholders in the project's development.
- Feed Flexibility: Ta Khoa's refinery will offer multiple feed options, including nickel concentrate, mixed hydroxide precipitate, nickel matte and black mass. This flexibility greatly improves the security and greatly reduces the risk of the project overall.
- Valued Partnerships: Blackstone is collaborating with multiple industry leaders and groups in the development of Ta Khoa
- Compelling Pre-feasibility Study: The financial outcomes of a base case pre-feasibility study on the project are promising. Based on a conservative NCM811 precursor price forecast, Ta Khoa displays an exceptional internal return rate on capital invested.
- Integrated Vertical Strategy: Blackstone is constructing both the Ta Khoa mine and refinery against a highly supportive ESG, macroeconomic and fiscal backdrop. This along with Ta Khoa's low capital intensity gives the company a significant advantage over competitors. Said low intensity is the result of multiple factors, including competitive labor costs, favorable regulations and low-cost renewable hydroelectric power.
- A Leader in Low Emissions: Independent assessments from Digbee, Minviro and Circulor, alongside an audit from the Nickel Institute, have confirmed that Ta Khoa will be the lowest-emitting flowsheet in the industry, at 9.8 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of precursor with opportunities for even further reduction.
- Promising Pilots: With the support of ALS and process engineering partner Wood, Blackstone recently completed a 12-month programme of work that developed a scaled version of its concentrate to sulphate flowsheet. The refinery, which processed more than 9 tonnes of concentrate and MHP, successfully achieved battery-grade nickel sulphate of 99.95 percent, with a nickel recovery rate of 97 percent.
- Current Roadmap: Blackstone's next priority is to complete a series of definitive feasibility studies. Once those are complete, it will focus on fully integrating the mine into the electric vehicle consumer supply chain and finalizing its refining partnership structure.
Management Team
Hamish Halliday - Non-executive Chairman
Hamish Halliday is a geologist with over 20 years of corporate and technical experience. He is also the founder of Adamus Resources Limited, an AU$3 million float that became a multimillion-ounce emerging gold producer.
Scott Williamson - Managing Director
Scott Williamson is a mining engineer with a commerce degree from the West Australian School of Mines and Curtin University. He has over 10 years of experience in technical and corporate roles in the mining and finance sectors.
Dr. Frank Bierlein - Non-executive Director
Dr. Frank Bierlein is a geologist with 30 years of technical and corporate experience, focusing on grassroots to mine-stage mineral exploration, target generation, project management and oversight, due diligence studies, mineral prospectivity analysis, metallogenic framework studies and mineral resources market and investment analysis.
Alison Gaines - Non-executive Director
Alison Gaines has over 20 years of experience as a director in Australia and internationally. She has experience in the roles of board chair and board committee chair, particularly remuneration and nomination and governance committees. She is also the managing director of Gaines Advisory P/L and was recently global CEO of international search and board consulting firm Gerard Daniels, with a significant mining and energy practice.
Gaines has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (hons) from the University of Western Australia, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from Australian National University and an honorary doctorate of the University and Master of Arts (Public Policy) from Murdoch University. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds the INSEAD certificate in corporate governance. She is currently the governor of the College of Law Ltd, and non-executive director of Tura New Music.
Dan Lougher - Non-executive Director
Daniel Lougher’s career spans more than 40 years involving a range of exploration, feasibility, development, operations and corporate roles with Australian and international mining companies including a period of eighteen years spent in Africa with BHP Billiton, Impala Plats, Anglo American and Genmin. He was the managing director and chief executive officer of the successful Australian nickel miner Western Areas Ltd until its takeover by Independence Group.
Lougher also holds a first class mine manager’s certificate of competency (WA) and is a fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). Lougher is the chair of the company’s technical committee and nomination committee.
Jamie Byrde - CFO and Company Secretary
Jamie Byrde has over 16 year's experience in corporate advisory, public and private company management since commencing his career with big four and mid-tier chartered accounting firms positions. Byrde specializes in financial management, ASX and ASIC compliance and corporate governance of mineral and resource focused public companies. He is also currently company secretary for Venture Minerals Limited.
Tessa Kutscher - Executive
Tessa Kutscher is an executive with more than 20 years of experience in working with C-Level executive teams in the fields of business strategy, business planning/optimisation and change management. After starting her career in Germany, she has worked internationally across different industries, such as mining, finance, tourism and tertiary education.
Kutscher holds a master’s degree in literature, linguistics and political science from the University of Bonn, Germany and a master’s degree in teaching from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
Andrew Strickland - Executive
Andrew Strickland is an experienced study and project manager, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, University of WA MBA graduate, with undergraduate degrees in chemical engineering and extractive metallurgy from Curtin and WASM.
Before joining Blackstone, Strickland was a senior study manager for GR Engineering Services where he was responsible for delivering a series of scoping, PFS and DFS studies for both Australian and international projects. Over his career, he has held a variety of project development roles across both junior to mid-tier developers (including Straits Resources, Perseus Mining and Tiger Resources) and major multi-operation producers (South32).
Graham Rigo - Executive
Graham Rigo is an experienced study manager with over a decade of on-site production experience, holding undergraduate degrees in chemical engineering and finance from Curtin University, WA.
Before joining Blackstone, Rigo was a study manager for Ausenco where he was responsible for delivering a series of scoping, PFS and DFS studies for both Australian and international projects over a range of different commodities.
Rigo has over 11 years of site experience in nickel and cobalt hydromet production experience, in supervisory/superintendent level roles as well as process engineer experience.
Lon Taranaki - Executive
Lon Taranaki is an international mining professional with over 25 years of extensive experience in all aspects of resources and mining, feasibility, development and operations. Taranaki is a qualified process engineer from the University of Queensland Australia. He holds a Master of Business Administration, and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Taranaki has established his career in Asia where he has successfully worked (and lived) across multiple jurisdictions and commodities ranging from technical, mine management and executive management roles.
Prior to joining Blackstone in February 2022, Taranaki was the chief executive officer of Minegenco, a renewable-energy-focused independent power producer. Preceding this, he was managing director of his private consultancy, AMG Mining Global, where he was providing services to the mining industry in Singapore, Guyana, Indonesia and Cambodia. Additionally, Taranaki has held various senior positions with Sakari Resources, PTT Asia Pacific Mining, Straits Resources, Sedgmans and BHP Coal.
Promising new source of low-carbon, battery-grade nickel
Blackstone Minerals Investor Kit
- Corporate info
- Insights
- Growth strategies
- Upcoming projects