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Ucore says it will guide the Yangibana JV on all things financing, import permits and environmental approvals.
Hastings Technology Metals CEO Vince Catania said: “We are delighted to partner with Ucore on this strategically important HoA. This agreement represents a major step forward in de-risking the Yangibana Project by securing a pathway to a long-term offtake partner in the key North American market.”
Ucore Rare Metals VP of Business Development Geoff Atkins said: “Yangibana is one of the world’s most advanced, shovel-ready rare earth projects with amongst the highest distributions of NdPr of any known deposit. This agreement is an important step in Ucore securing a fully aligned mine-to-oxide supply chain across trusted jurisdictions.”
The Yangibana rare earths project is a rare fully permitted turn key opportunity, with most mine infrastructure in place and beneficiation plus hydromet gear already bought and ready for assembly.
The initial 17-year mine life will churn out 37,000 tonnes a year of concentrate from it NdPr-rich resource, making it a key supply option for Western critical minerals manufacturing.
Yangibana’s geological model also flags scope for ferro-columbite and hafnium-enriched zircon recovery alongside the rare earths stream, adding a potential by-product scheme alongside its already crucial NdPr.
Ucore Rare Metals is an emerging US separation technology company that is building its first strategic metals complex in Alexandria, Louisiana, with plans for multiple of its proprietary RapidSX plants across North American.
The heads of agreement was signed at the G7 Energy and Environment Ministers Meeting in Toronto.
With offtake talks now anchored in a key allied market and a clear downstream study ahead, Hastings and Wyloo have sharpened their path to rare earths cash flow. As the US-Australia framework kicks in and political forces are brought to bear, Yangibana looks well placed to capitalise on the new geo-political global environment where all the big players are seeking critical minerals.
And with 18 years under his belt as a well known former West Australian politician, Hastings CEO Vince Catania is likely well placed to navigate that environment as Yangibana edges ever closer to rare earths production.
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