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Texas Rare Earth Resources: Round Top REE Project Could Feature Potentially Significant Economic Recoveries of Scandium
Aug. 17, 2015 09:18AM PST
Scandium InvestingTexas Rare Earth Resources (OTCQX:TRER) reported that testing, along with reviews of existing data, has indicated that potentially economically significant amounts of scandium are being leached from material at its Round Top rare earths project.
Texas Rare Earth Resources (OTCQX:TRER) reported that testing, along with reviews of existing data, has indicated that potentially economically significant amounts of scandium are being leached from material at its Round Top rare earths project.
As quoted in the press release:
Initial column leach tests were conducted by RDI Inc. in Denver, Colorado in 2013. These results led to TRER’s adoption of the heap leaching model for extraction of rare earth from the Round Top ore. Since that time the Company has reviewed the raw data to evaluate the potential of the high value trace elements, notably scandium. Careful review of the 2013 solution analyses indicates that if the scandium present in these leach solutions were recovered it would produce a projected 5,400 kilograms of scandium oxide per year in the envisioned 20,000 tonnes per day operation at Round Top.
Additional leaching has been carried out in 8″ columns installed at the K-Tech lab with the objective of producing a primary leach solution (PLS) for continuous ion exchange and continuous ion chromatography testing. Analysis of this PLS has also shown potential recovery of scandium at even greater levels than being reported today. The behavior of scandium in the continuous ion exchange (CIX) and continuous ion chromatography (CIC) process is similar enough to rare earth elements that its extraction from solution does not require additional procedures or equipment.
Texas Rare Earth CEO Dan Gorski said:
Although the production of heavy rare earths is the primary objective at Round Top, the numerous other elements being recovered in leaching of this rock are proving to make a significant contribution to the potential revenue stream. To date, uranium, lithium, beryllium and now scandium show promise of being valuable by-products. Scandium in particular is significant because of its strategic nature, lack of a domestic supply and limited worldwide production.