North American heavy rare earth projects are unique, says CEO of Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX-V:UCU) Ken Collison, who spoke to MINING.com on January 30th. The video embed is below.
Ucore is a junior miner running the Bokan rare earth project on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska
“What separates [Ucore’s deposit] from pretty well all other deposits in the US is that it has a high percentage of heavy rare earths.”
The lack of heavy rare earth deposits outside of China and the strategic importance of heavy rare earth metals to the green energy and defense sectors makes them considerably more valuable than their light rare earth counterparts.
Heavy rare earth mining can have potentially devastating environmental effects, which has complicated efforts for North American heavy rare earth mining projects. But the metals are used to make a number high-tech and energy-related goods like wind turbines, electric cars, drills and military equipment. They are also found in everyday items such as smart phones and flat-screen TVs.
Ucore Rare Metals Ltd. has received unique support from both local communities and state government for its Bokan heavy rare earth project on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.
In a recent interview with MINING.com, Ucore CEO Ken Collison discussed the progress of the Bokan project and the support it has received up to this point.