- Ucore Rare Metals (UCU) has released an update on the Innovation Metals Corp (IMC) RapidSX rare earth element separation technology platform
- The company has also updated its commercial Strategic Metals Complex (SMC) technology deployment process
- The Ucore, IMC, and KPM commercialization team have continued to assess and develop the RapidSX technology platform at the Commercialization and Development Facility
- The team is planning Demo Plant product qualification trials to begin in Q4-2022
- Ucore Rare Metals is focused on rare and critical metals resources, extraction, beneficiation and separation technologies
- Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (UCU) is up 1.75 per cent on the day, trading at C$0.58 per share at 11:30 am ET
Ucore Rare Metals (UCU) has released an update on the Innovation Metals Corp (IMC) RapidSX rare earth element separation technology platform.
The company has also updated its commercial Strategic Metals Complex (SMC) technology deployment process. The work is taking place at the companies’ laboratory partner’s facility in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
The Ucore, IMC, and KPM commercialization team have continued to assess and develop the RapidSX technology platform at the Commercialization and Development Facility. The critical component in this process is the design and construction of the RapidSX REE demonstration-scale plant that will reside within the 5000-square-foot CDF.
Dr. Boyd Davis, a Principal of KPM, commented on the plant’s design.
“IMC’s solvent extraction process, RapidSX, has different components that allow us to Westernize this standard chemical process so that ‘technology risk’ is eliminated while in compliance with North American environmental and worker safety standards. The cellular design is scalable and allows for rapid production capacity expansion in a safe and responsible manner.”
The team had planned, designed and ordered equipment to construct an 18-stage RapidSX™ REE Demo Plant with subsequently planned incremental expansions to meet the commercial objectives of the program throughout 2022 and 2023.
However, after receiving positive results from an independent RapidSX technology evaluation, including the conclusion that a RapidSX production plant can potentially have 2/3 a smaller footprint, the team received the buy-in from all program stakeholders to expand the design and construction of the Demo Plant to 51-stages. This enhanced capability allows Ucore the opportunity to achieve its broader objectives in 2022, thus, readying the Company for commercial RapidSX technology deployment on a faster track.
Mike Schrider, P.E., Ucore’s VP and COO, commented on the news.
“Ucore is in the unique position of having access to one of the world’s most advanced and efficient solvent extraction-based REE separation technologies,” stated “RapidSX will be at a TRL 6/7 once the Demo Plant is commissioned this fall. The logical pathway was to expand the facility now so that we are ready to make the leap to commercialization within the Strategic Metals Complexes by early next year, along with the benefit of starting product qualification trials with our growing list of potential North American customers.”
With the increase in RapidSX processing stages, the demo plant will be able to process:
- Many feedstock sources, including planned light and heavy REE feedstocks for the SMCs.
- Tens of tonnes of mixed rare earth concentrate on a per annum basis:
- Including products for prospective metal/alloy makers and OEM qualifications.
- All RapidSX splits required to produce individual praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), terbium (Tb), and dysprosium (Dy).
The team is planning Demo Plant product qualification trials to begin in Q4-2022.
Ucore Rare Metals is focused on rare and critical metals resources, extraction, beneficiation and separation technologies.
Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (UCU) is up 1.75 per cent on the day, trading at C$0.58 per share at 11:30 am ET.