LKY partners with Columbia Uni for rare earths processing tech

Our US critical minerals Investment Locksley Resources (ASX: LKY) just entered into a research partnership with Columbia University for rare earth processing tech.

The partnership will integrate AI-driven ore characterisation, electrochemical recovery, and CO2 assisted mineral processing.

Next LKY and Columbia will run economic assessments and life cycle analysis on the processing tech - which LKY expects to cost ~US$150K over 12 months.

So, LKY will have two processing technologies being developed concurrently:

1. Antimony processing tech announced in August with Rice University
2. Rare earth element processing tech announced today with Columbia University

Both of these could make LKY eligible for grants like the recent US$355M in funding that the Department Of Energy announced (and the US$1BN that was set aside a few months ago).

(Source)

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LKY holds land within $16BN MP Materials Mountain Pass Project prospective for rare earths which it plans to be drilling next month and more land adjacent which contains recently mapped antimony workings.

The adjacent Desert Antimony Mine was previously in production during WW1 and WW2 producing between 100 and 1000 tonnes of antimony (source), it was one of the highest grade known antimony occurrences in the US.

LKY has already received a LOI from the US Export Import Bank (EXIM) for US$191M in potential support for its project (source).

And just last week, LKY detailed its development plan for the old Desert Antimony Mine… (source)

What’s next for LKY?

Drilling (this quarter) 🔄

LKY expects drilling to start in late Q4 (December) this year. (Source)

With the antimony drill program, LKY plans to test for the extent of mineralisation near and extending out from the historical antimony mine, testing along the recently seen antimony workings from the LiDAR program results showing the existing adits.

(Source)

With the rare earths drill program, LKY plans to test areas where a number of high grade rock chip samples were found, grading 1.20% to 6.87% TREO (rare earths).

Here is where LKY’s initial drilling program is scheduled from a broader view released earlier in the year (antimony in top section, rare earths in the lower):

(Source)

We are especially looking forward to seeing if LKY can prove whether or not its Desert Antimony Mine extends over the entire 1.2km of strike mapped earlier in the year…

(Source)

Updates on LKY’s processing tech partnerships 🔄

Now LKY has signed partnership agreements with

• Rice University

The next stage for this partnership will be to secure a larger licence deal over whatever technology is developed from the R&D agreement.

This will take some time to work out the IP sharing and mutual development of the technology.

• Hazen (a leading metallurgical company)

LKY recently signed a MOU to develop for processing of its antimony ore.

Hazen Research is a Colorado based R&D firm with 55+ years’ experience. They can provide global laboratory, pilot plant, and analytical services, specialising in developing processing and refining solutions for base and critical minerals.

LKY has now also signed an agreement with

• Columbia University

This agreement is focused on the REE processing side.

Between the three partners, LKY is working on:

• Pilot plant design and metallurgical test work
• Production of representative samples for US industrial and defence qualification
• Commercial analysis and process optimisation