Commerce Resources Gets Grant for Environmental Studies

Commerce Resources (TSXV:CCE) has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologie (FRQNT) and the Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles (MERN) to be used for the optimization of tailings management for the company’s Ashram rare earth deposit.
As quoted in the press release:

The scope of this work will include characterization of the various tailings streams (liquid and residue) of the Ashram process flowsheet, as well as methods of recycling and/or managing these streams throughout the life of operation. A complete characterization of tailings material is an essential component for proper design and maintenance of the tailings management facility. In addition, the processing of the fluorspar concentrate (i.e. rare earth concentrate tailings) to acid-grade fluorspar will be included in the mandate, as the effectiveness of this upgrade will have a large impact on the final tailings material components.
This work will be completed in partnership with the Centre Eau Terre Environnement of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), a research-oriented branch of the Université du Québec, which has considerable experience in environmental management and sustainability. The grant program is offered jointly through the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologie (FRQNT) and the Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles (MERN), and will be applied over a three-year period.
The Federal and Quebec governments are actively supporting the advancement of clean/green technologies and renewable energy resource development as Canada transitions to a lower-carbon economy. This is demonstrated through various ongoing grant programs available at both the federal and provincial levels, as well as being recently highlighted by the legally binding, global climate change framework agreement from COP21 in Paris. An essential component of these clean/green technologies are magnets manufactured from REEs.
The results of the programs described in this news release will be incorporated, along with other necessary technical data including geological and engineering studies, into the ongoing Pre-feasibility Study, with costs and benefits to be described in more detail therein.

Click here for the full press release.