Hexagon Energy Materials Limited (“Hexagon” or the
“Company”) (ASX:HXG) is pleased to announce the execution of a
Technical Services Agreement (“TSA”) for test processing of
customer material using the
RapidSX™ rare-earth
elements (“REEs”) separation technology.
Innovation Metals
Corp. (“IMC”) — Hexagon’s partner in the commercialization
of RapidSX for REE separation1 — has entered into the binding
agreement with
Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (“Ucore”)
(TSXV:UCU) (OTCQX:UURAF)2. The purpose of the TSA is to assess
RapidSX for the separation of REE concentrate materials into
high-purity REE oxides (“REOs”) from Ucore’s flagship Bokan-Dotson
Ridge REE Project located in Alaska, USA, and/or other commercially
available, U.S. allied-sourced, mixed REE concentrate sources
currently under nearer-term consideration for potential utilization
at the company’s planned Alaska Strategic Metals Complex in
the United States.
Hexagon’s management team in North America and Australia was
instrumental in bringing the parties together and advancing the
TSA, highlighting the Company’s contribution of marketing and
commercial skills to the IMC-Hexagon joint venture entity to be
named, American Innovation Metals LLC (“AIM”).
Hexagon’s Managing Director, Mike Rosenstreich
commented “Ucore’s interest in and commitment to evaluating RapidSX
is significant; they are a REE industry stalwart in the USA with an
advanced project with US$145 million in designated financing from
the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (“AIDEA”)3.
Ucore plans to develop heavy and light REE downstream processing
capabilities through its planned Alaska Strategic Metals Complex to
produce separated high-purity REOs.”
“Ucore brings a tremendous amount of third-party validation to
RapidSX, underscoring Hexagon’s focus on the commercialization of
this important technology,” Mr. Rosenstreich explained. “Over the
past several years, Ucore has evaluated a range of alternative
REE-separation processes, resulting in the selection of
solvent-extraction chemistry, which led to their interest in the
proprietary RapidSX REE separation technology, offering significant
CAPEX and OPEX savings compared to current conventional SX-based
commercial REE separation. With RapidSX, existing REE producers and
project developers can integrate the addition of downstream REE
separation to produce REOs, thus significantly increasing margins,
saleable products and most importantly — to effectively compete
with Chinese operators.”
Chairman and CEO of IMC, Dr. Gareth Hatch
stated, “The lack of US-based operational REE separation capacity
presents a serious vulnerability to U.S. national and economic
security and the security of its allies, as REEs are critical for
defence technologies, electrification and U.S. economic growth
plans. Without the downstream capacity to separate and purify REEs,
the USA and its allies are vulnerable to potential supply
disruptions, price spikes and trade disagreements related to REEs.
It is our intention to remedy this situation with the successful
commercialization of the RapidSX technology for processing and
purifying REEs. IMC, with Hexagon, is very pleased to work with
Ucore in its efforts to establish commercial REE separation
capabilities on U.S. soil.”
Hexagon regards IMC’s TSA with Ucore as a strong, industry
endorsement of the RapidSX REE-separation technology and its
potential to enable emerging producers to capture extra value in
the REE supply chain on a highly cost-effective and competitive
basis with the Chinese REE industry. This is the first of a planned
series of agreements with both existing and emerging REE
concentrate producers to commercialise RapidSX.
Per Hexagon’s December 18, 2019 ASX Announcement (HXG Commences
Funding the Commercialisation of RapidSX™ Rare-Earth Elements
Separation Technology)4, the Company looks forward to reporting
IMC’s filing of a provisional patent application on RapidSX in the
United States, in addition to awarding the Front-End Engineering
Design study contract for the RapidSX Commercial Demonstration
Plant (“CDP”) to an independent engineering firm.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Mike Rosenstreich Managing Director
About Hexagon Energy Materials LimitedHexagon
Energy Material Limited’s (Hexagon) focus is on the
commercialization of RapidSX™ — a novel rare-earth elements (REEs)
separation technology for the downstream processing and
transformation of REEs into commercial-grade REE oxides (REOs) in
North America, with the objective of licensing the RapidSX
REE-separation technology to end users around the world. With its
Canadian partner and the inventor of RapidSX, Innovation Metals
Corp. (IMC), Hexagon is developing a Commercial Demonstration Plant
to commercialise the RapidSX REE separation technology. RapidSX was
developed and successfully piloted by IMC with more than US$1.8
million in assistance from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Additionally, Hexagon is developing its US-based downstream
graphite-transformation business, focussed on ultra-high-purity
battery and advanced-technology applications.
Learn more at www.HXGenergymaterials.com
About Innovation Metals Corp.Innovation Metals
Corp. is a private Canadian company and developer of the
proprietary RapidSX™ process for the low-cost separation and
purification of REEs, Ni, Co, Li, and other technology metals, via
an accelerated form of solvent extraction. IMC is commercializing
this approach for a number of metals, to help enable mining and
metal-recycling companies to compete in today’s global
marketplace.
Learn more at www.innovationmetals.com
Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release
contains projections and statements that may constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable
United States, Canadian and other laws. Forward-looking statements
in this release may include, among others, statements regarding the
future plans, costs, objectives or performance of Hexagon Energy
Materials Limited or the assumptions underlying any of the
foregoing. In this news release, words such as "may", "could",
"would", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect", "anticipate",
"intend", "plan", “goal”, "estimate" and similar words and the
negative forms thereof are used to identify forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are beyond the
control of Hexagon Energy Materials Limited, and which may cause
the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements
of Hexagon Energy Materials Limited to be materially different from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such
risks and uncertainties could cause actual results, plans and
objectives of Hexagon Energy Materials Limited to differ materially
from those expressed in the forward-looking information. Hexagon
Energy Materials Limited can offer no assurance that its plans will
be completed. These and all subsequent written and oral
forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of
Hexagon Energy Materials Limited management on the dates they are
made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice.
Except as required by law, Hexagon Energy Materials Limited assumes
no obligation to update forward-looking information should
circumstances or the estimates or opinions of Hexagon Energy
Materials Limited management change.
North American Investor and Media Relations
Contact: Ms. Emma Jackson G&W
CommunicationsFirst Canadian Place 100 King Street
WestSuite 5700Toronto, Ontario M5X 1C7
Canadatelephone: +1 416 915 3150email:
hexagon@g-w.cawebsite: www.HXGenergymaterials.com
______________________________
1 Please refer to Hexagon Energy Materials
Limited’s ASX Announcement dated October 10, 2019, entitled
‘Hexagon Enters US-Based Rare Earths Downstream Processing
Industry’
2 Please refer to Ucore Rare Metals Inc. announcement dated
February 14, 2020, entitled ‘Ucore Announces Technical Services
Agreement with Innovation Metals Corp. for RapidSX™ Rare Earth
Element Separation Technology Testing’
3 Please refer to Ucore Rare Metals Inc.
announcement dated February 10, 2020 entitled ‘AIDEA Bolsters
Support for Heavy REE Separation Plant & Renews Commitment to
Ucore’s Bokan Heavy REE Project’
4 Please refer to Hexagon Energy Materials
Limited’s ASX Announcement dated December 18, 2019, entitled ‘HXG
Commences Funding the Commercialisation of RapidSX™ Rare-Earth
Elements Separation Technology’
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