PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Rare earths miner Northern Minerals has secured a new offtake partner for all of the product from its Browns Range pilot plant project, in German material distributor Thyssenkrupp Materials Trading.
Northern Minerals last week terminated a rare-earth carbonate offtake agreement with China’s Lianyugang Zeyu New Materials Sales Company (JFMAG), after that company breached the offtake agreement.
Under the initial agreement with JFMAG, the Chinese firm would have acquired all of the production from the Browns Range pilot plant project, which is expected to produce 573 000 kg of mixed heavy rare earth carbonate containing terbium and dysprosium as revenue products, over a three-year period.
Northern Minerals on Monday said that the new offtake agreement with Thyssenkrupp was for the purchase of all the heavy rare earth carbonate produced at the pilot plant, with Northern Minerals maintaining the flexibility to supply heavy rare earths as separated products in the future.
The agreement with Thyssenkrupp includes an intention for the parties to work together on implementing separating technologies at Browns Range, and to work together in potential future expansions of the project.
The offtake agreement will start immediately, with all current stockpiled material and future production included.