Energy Fuels engages top consultant to support development of rare earth separation at White Mesa Mill in Utah

Energy Fuels Inc (NYSE:UUUU) ((TSE:EFR) said it has engaged Carester SAS to prepare a scoping study for the development of a solvent extraction rare earth element (REE) separation circuit at its White Mesa Mill, in Utah.

France’s Carester has expertise in designing, constructing, operating and optimizing REE production facilities.

The US-based uranium mining company said Carester has been engaged to support the firm’s planned development of REE separation capabilities at the White Mesa Mill “to create a continuous, integrated and optimized rare earth production sequence.”

READ: Energy Fuels receives another US$1.75M from US Department of Energy for rare earth feasibility study

The consultant’s scoping work will include an evaluation of the Mill’s monazite leaching process, preparation of an REE separation flow sheet, capital and operating expense estimates, and recommendations on equipment vendors.

Energy Fuels and Neo Performance Materials have recently launched a US-Europe rare earth supply chain. Energy Fuels said it is now taking another “key step” toward launching a fully integrated “mine to market” US rare earth supply chain in the coming years.

The firm currently buys nearly 2,500 tons per year of natural Monazite sands from Chemours’ Georgia heavy mineral sand operations. It is also in the process of securing additional Monazite domestically and internationally, with a goal of processing around 15,000 tons of Monazite per annum for the recovery of REEs and uranium.

In late-March, Energy Fuels began processing Monazite at the White Mesa Mill to produce a clean, mixed REE carbonate, and an intermediate REE product ready for separation. The firm plans to sell the intermediate product to an REE separation facility in Europe owned by Neo.

Energy Fuels said it is weighing the option of producing separated REE oxides, REE metals, REE alloys, and other value-added REE products at the mill.

Carester’s REE separation and purification techniques utilize liquid-to-liquid SX extraction processes that have been successfully deployed to produce REE products from feeds including Monazite.

“Energy Fuels is absolutely focused on building fully integrated rare earth supply capabilities at our White Mesa Mill in the coming years, and we are pleased to have Carester on the team to support our efforts,” Energy Fuels CEO Mark S Chalmers said in a statement.

“The Carester team is recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities in producing separated rare earth oxides and other value-added rare earth products. Rare earth extraction, separation and purification can be complex.”

Chalmers noted that as clean energy technologies are deployed, “more rare earth products will be required.”

“An electric vehicle is not ‘green’ if the raw materials that go into the vehicle are not responsibly produced,” added Chalmers. “Energy Fuels is working towards establishing a ‘clean’ and ‘green’ US option for manufacturers who demand the highest standards in their rare earth raw materials.”

Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive

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