source：Mining Review Africa
Ionic Rare Earths (IonicRE) has signed a non-binding MoU with Aluminium Corporation of China subsidiary, China Rare Metals and Rare Earth (Jiangsu) (CHINALCO) in relation to the development of the Company’s Makuutu Rare Earths Project (Makuutu) in Uganda.
IonicRE MD Tim Harrison comments:
“We are very pleased to have signed this MoU which, further endorses the quality of the Project and its strategic importance, and will now enable the Makuutu Rare Earths Project to rapidly advance activities in the near term.
“We welcome the involvement of CHINALCO and their ionic clay and rare earths separation arm China Rare Earths Jiangsu. Their knowledge on ionic adsorption clays is second to none, and their involvement would also greatly enhance and accelerate the planned development of Makuutu.”
“From the outset of our discussions, it was clear that there existed a key alignment between IonicRE and CHINALCO on the development of Makuutu. We greatly welcome their expertise in de-risking the technical development and engineering, maximising the strategic value of Makuutu and its importance in the longer-term global rare earths supply chain.”
“We see Makuutu rapidly growing into a very large, long life producer of critical and heavy rare earths. Partnering with CHINALCO potentially fast tracks the development process for Makuutu and will greatly assist in value creation for IonicRE.”
Highlights of the MoU include:
IonicRE and CHINALCO have agreed to use their reasonable endeavours to strategically cooperate to accelerate Makuutu mine development and production for mutual benefit; as well as
Potential for future investment in IonicRE, and/or the Makuutu Rare Earths Project directly, and/or off-take agreements, as agreed by the parties, for rare earth product produced by IonicRE.
CHINALCO is the world’s largest market capitalised rare earth miner and separator, with numerous dedicated subsidiaries operating in mining and rare earth separation, including the Heavy Rare Earth Element (HREE) rich ionic adsorption clay (IAC) mines in Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces and a number of REE separation plants in Jiangsu Province.
Most of the global Rare Earth Oxides (REO) produced globally are initially processed and separated within China. Therefore, it is of strategic importance to IonicRE, to have successfully negotiated this MOU and welcomes CHINALCO as a potential cornerstone project partner.
CHINALCO have completed an extensive due diligence review over the past twelve (12) months on the Makuutu Rare Earths Project, in conjunction with numerous meetings between the IonicRE executive team and CHINALCO, facilitated by IonicRE’s strategic advisor, Airguide.