Northern Minerals Officially Opens Browns Range

Australian heavy rare earths producer Northern Minerals (ASX:NTU) reports the official opening of the Browns Range heavy rare earths pilot plant project in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia.

The project is now officially the first producer of heavy rare earths (HREs) outside of China. The main products are dysprosium and terbium.

As quoted from the press release:

The project will be opened on Friday 27th July 2018 by the Hon. Alannah MacTiernan MLC, Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Minister assisting the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade and comes exactly a year to the day since WA Premier, the Hon. Mark McGowan MLA turned the first sod to commence construction.

As the only dysprosium producer outside China, Northern Minerals is well placed to become a significant, stable supplier of this important element. Dysprosium and terbium are also used in wind turbines, industrial robots, air conditioning and many other new technologies which are in development.

The first stage – a three-year pilot plant project – will be used to assess the economic and technical feasibility of a full-scale project.

“The opening of the Browns Range heavy rare earths project is nearly eight years in the making, since the initial discovery in 2010,” Managing director and CEO George Bauk said. “There are not too many times when a managing director can stand up and launch a new industry in Australia and this is what we are doing today.”

Click here to read the full press release