EDITORIAL NOTES by HybridPelta (HP) . Shades of Airships to the Arctic and ISOPolar : Here's another cogent, and compelling reason to develop airships as a viable method of transportation in the Arctic . HP
Companies eye metallic elements used in magnets, batteries, hybrid cars . World demand for rare earths sparks exploration in Nunavut and Nunavik , Canada
Surveys show that the Forum Uranium's Nutaaq property appears to be rich in rare earth minerals (REM's), which are sought after by industry for use in cars, batteries, and other products.
The presence of rare earths in Nunavut and Nunavik is beginning to draw the attention of mineral exploration companies that see a chance to satisfy the world’s hunger for these metallic elements required in everything from cellphones to electric cars.
Forum Uranium Corp. announced today that it’s mobilizing a field crew to its Nutaaq rare earth property, 13 kilometres southeast of the Kiggavik uranium property near Baker Lake, because survey results show promising rare earth deposits there.
The rare earth deposits on Forum’s Nutaaq property lie close to the surface, so they could be mined using low cost bulk extraction methods, the company said in a recent news release.
Earlier this month, Azimut Exploration Inc. reported “excellent results” from its search for rare earths on its Diana property, 40 kilometers northwest of Kuujjuaq.
The names of the 17 rare earths, metallic elements, like yttrium, erbium, terbium and dysprosium, which these companies are after, are unfamiliar to most Americans not actively involved in advanced technology development and manufacture . But rare earths, also called REE’s or rare earth elements, are commonly used in flat-screen televisions, laptops, iPod earbuds and digital cameras.
So-called “heavy” rare earth metals are used to produce heat-resistant magnets found in wind turbines, computer hard drives, rechargeable batteries, and electric motors, and therefore are particularly in demand by industry
Overall, about 30 per cent of the world’s consumption of rare earth elements is related to automobiles, a figure that could grow as more consumers shift to hybrid vehicles, which typically contain more than 27 kilograms of rare-earth product.
China now produces most of the world’s rare earth supply. But in recent years the Chinese government has imposed tariffs and export restrictions on rare earth buyers. So mining companies have been scouting for new sources of rare earths in Australia, the United States, Brazil, South Africa, and Greenland . Greenland has become of particular interest recently, as a large deposit of REE's was discovered in Kvanefjeld in near Narsaq.
Greenland Minerals & Energy states that Kvanefjeld has the potential to meet the world’s rapidly growing demand for rare earths, and in doing so, can become a major contributor to the Greenland economy for decades to come. Kvanefjeld can be the start of a truly world class mining district and can be developed in a responsible, environmentally-conscious manner, to become one of the world’s premier source of Rare Earth Elements. The company's slogan is “Specialty Metals for a Greener World.”
If Forum’s Nutaaq property ever goes into production, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) stands to earn substantial income, as it will receive a two per cent smelter royalty from Nutaaq, according to the company's latest estimate, a revenue generated from sale of its rare earth minerals, minus its production expenses.
However, there’s an environmental risk from mining and refining rare earths because some tailings can be radioactive, and toxic acids are required during the refining process.
Geopolitical Strategic Note by HybridPelta :
Daewoo, a South Korean conglomerate, is already engaged in mineral exploration and extraction of heavy earth minerals not far north of the Canadian-American border. HP : If that doesn't raise the hairs on the back of your neck, you're anaesthetized !
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was officially separated from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999 . Actual boundaries had been established in 1993. The creation of Nunavut --- meaning "our land" in Inuktitut --- resulted in the first major change to Canada's map since the incorporation of Newfoundland as a new province in 1949. Nunavut comprises a major portion of Northern Canada, and most of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, making it the fifth-largest country subdivision in the world .
Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada . Covering a land area of over 171,000 square miles north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit (designator changed from "Eskimo" decades ago) of Quebec. Almost all of the 11,627 inhabitants (according to the latest census of the region) of whom 90% are Inuit, live in fourteen northern villages on the coast of Nunavik and in reserved land of the Cree Native Americans .
Nunavik means "place to live" in the local dialect of Inuktitut and the Inuit inhabitants of the region call themselves Nunavimmiut. Until 1912, the region was part of the District of Ungava of the Northwest Territories.
Negotiations for regional autonomy are underway, and Nunavik is in the process of becoming an autonomous region within the province of Quebec.
HP : Hm'm'm'm ! Suddenly, discussions about the Arctic and its resources don't seem so exotic or irrelevant anymore.
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