#United States #Vancouver #Rare Earths #Graphite One #Ames Lab

Graphite One Collaborates with Ames National Laboratory

Graphite One Inc., recognized for its ambitions in the mining sector, announced a significant research initiative with Ames National Laboratory. This project aims to optimize and evaluate sustainable recovery processes for rare earth elements (REEs) extracted from garnet material found at the Graphite Creek deposit located near Nome, Alaska.

Expanding the Value of Graphite Creek

The endeavor is part of a broader Strategic Partnership Project Agreement that highlights a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to enhancing the value derived from the vast resources at Graphite Creek. The program focuses on numerous aspects of the material, including mineralogical and chemical characterization, acid leaching techniques, and the effective separation of heavy and light rare earth elements.

According to Anthony Huston, President and CEO of Graphite One, the partnership with Ames Lab, which boasts over 75 years of specialized expertise in rare earth research, presents an invaluable opportunity for rigorous assessment of extraction methods and their potential economic impact. Huston underscored that Graphite Creek's garnets contain critical heavy rare earth elements and magnet metals essential for U.S. technological advancements and defense applications.

Three-Month Research Plan

The research program is designed to function over a three-month period, starting immediately. It includes initial phases of garnet preparation and characterization, which will feed into acid leaching experiments aimed at optimizing conditions to effectively separate the desired REEs. The final stage of the study will focus on product purification and developing a preliminary scalable process flowsheet, evaluating essential factors such as mass balance, reagent consumption, water usage, and waste generation throughout the process.

Earlier assessments conducted by Graphite One revealed promising concentrations of REEs within the garnets extracted from Graphite Creek. Results indicated that a significant majority—up to 85%—of the REEs present were categorized as either heavy rare earths or magnet metals. Some notable concentrations included dysprosium (32-63 ppm), yttrium (198-427 ppm), and scandium (84-141 ppm), emphasizing the potential wealth of resources available at this deposit.

Strategic Domestic Supply Chain Development

This latest initiative underscores Graphite One's commitment to establishing a vertically integrated domestic supply chain that lessens reliance on foreign mineral sources. By advancing a domestic graphite strategy, the company aims to foster a comprehensive supply chain extending from basic resource extraction to advanced materials manufacturing. The company envisions several key operational elements, such as:

• - Mining and processing natural graphite at the Graphite Creek site.
• - Transmitting graphite through the Port of Nome.
• - Producing advanced graphite and anode materials in Ohio.
• - Implementing potential co-location recycling for graphite and other battery materials.

Graphite One's multifaceted approach aims to develop a circular economy for graphite materials within the U.S., underpinning national efforts to create a robust supply of essential materials for industries, particularly in energy storage and electric vehicle batteries.

About Ames National Laboratory

As a premier research institution under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy and operated by Iowa State University, Ames National Laboratory is renowned for its innovative work in the field of critical minerals and related supply chains. The ongoing collaboration with Graphite One marks an important step forward in the field of sustainable resource extraction and utilization.

Conclusion

The collaboration not only enhances Graphite One’s experimental framework in the rapidly evolving field of rare earth mineral extraction but also strengthens the company’s position as a leader in sustainable mining practices. As the project unfolds, stakeholders and interested parties are encouraged to monitor the progress and implications of these vital research activities. For more updates, visit Graphite One's official website.