Tin and lithium projects gain momentum
In this note we look a Separation Rapids, one of Avalon Rare Metals Inc (NYSE:AVL)’s three main development assets. This project is focused on developing a high-purity petalite resource that could produce both lithium minerals and lithium chemicals for the high-temperature ceramics, glassware and lithium-ion battery industries. Avalon has also announced it will undertake a C$1.3m fully funded work programme on its East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project in Nova Scotia over the summer months. The information gained will aid completion of a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) by year end, thereby marginally de-risking the project from its current pre-scoping study level.
East Kemptville to start drilling to firm up resources
Work at East Kemptville will comprise 2,000m of diamond drilling, metallurgical process test work and preliminary environmental studies, needed to complete a NI43-101 compliant PEA. Of most significance in terms of de-risking and moving this asset up the value curve is work to firm up the resources and understanding not only how modern process techniques can extract tin from the resource, but also identifying the quantities of indium that can be recovered from a zinc concentrate. Avalon will also test for the presence of other rare metals that could strengthen the project's economics.
Separation Rapids to produce high-purity lithium
Economic deposits of the rare lithium mineral petalite are uncommon and there is only one operational mine called Bikita in Zimbabwe. High-quality lithium minerals products derived from petalite are desirable on account of their very low levels of impurities, notably iron, making them attractive for use in high-temperature ceramics and glassware. AVL is also assessing the potential for a high-purity lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide chemical for use in the lithium-ion battery sector.
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