Gordon Stein, CFO of CleanTech Lithium, explains why CTL acquired the 23 Laguna Verde licenses. Watch the video here.
Might be a little left field but Lynas seem to be on the hunt for acquisitions... Mkango is the perfect complete CTMA reafy package so now MP merger is off maybe just maybe a possibility?
'Lynas Rare Earths and MP Materials: Exploring Potential Transactions Amid Strategic Growth Plans
Lynas Rare Earths Limited (ASX: LYC; OTC:LYSDY), a leading Australian producer of separated rare earth materials, has recently been the subject of media speculation concerning a potential transaction with MP Materials Corp (NYSE: MP), the largest producer of rare earth materials in the Western Hemisphere. While confirming past discussions with MP Materials, Lynas clarifies that these talks are not currently ongoing, emphasizing its focus on organic growth and strategic opportunities.
'While discussions between Lynas Rare Earths and MP Materials may have paused, the strategic considerations behind such talks highlight the dynamic nature of the rare earth sector and the ongoing efforts by leading companies to secure a sustainable and competitive future. As Lynas continues to pursue its growth strategy, the industry watches closely for new developments that could signal shifts in the global supply chain and market dynamics.
I'd certainly think Mkango will be looking at various funding /partnership options, not just an 'X'p dilutive raising but I'm sure we will get to know soonish
'Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £4 million in innovation projects as part of the CLIMATES programme. Your project must be focused on circular critical materials supply chains.
The aim of this competition is to stimulate growth in a circular critical materials supply chain for rare earth elements (REEs), or alternative materials. Your collaborative innovation project will address opportunities across the whole value chain and help increase supply chain resilience. Rare earth elements (REEs) are seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, the fifteen Lanthanides (elements 57-71 inclusive) plus Scandium and Yttrium.
This competition is split into 2 strands:
Strand 1 is for early-stage feasibility studies (costing up to £250k). These projects will facilitate the adoption of new innovations in processes, technologies or services by industry, to grow a more resilient UK supply chain for REEs.
Strand 2 is for mid and late-stage research and development (R&D) projects (costing up to £700k). These projects will accelerate the industrialisation and commercialisation of innovative processes, technologies and services, to grow a more resilient UK supply chain for REEs.
It is your responsibility to ensure you submit your application to the correct strand for your project. You will not be able to transfer your application and it will not be sent for assessment if it is out of scope.
To keep in touch with updates on the CLIMATES programme,'
https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/opportunities/climates-supply-chain-innovations-for-rare-earths/
Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVdKue28bl0
Watch from 50.25
'A new study from researchers in China and the Netherlands estimates that reusing or recycling rare earth metals from old cellphones, hard drives, electric motors and turbines could meet as much as 40 percent of the demand for the metals in the United States, China and Europe by 2050.
It’s a promising prospect, particularly for the United States, which relies heavily on imports of these materials, often just called rare earths. That reliance, industry experts say, can make American supply chains vulnerable to disruption and geopolitical risks.'
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/20/climate/rare-earth-recycling.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur
A nice recent article from our guy in Germany
https://transforming-economies.de/seltene-erden-warum-sie-fuer-die-transformation-recycelt-werden-sollten/
Https://aptamergroup.com/careers/business-development-manager/
The MDA drag was always going to hit the SP ... And it is indeed a poor show that Mkango seems unable to communicate about ... Lotus however can give us an update
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMktsSvgoSM
Watch the Question around MDA being issued by year's end being answered at 21.58
Sounds like the MDAs are indeed incoming :)
Although there is supposedly a suspension on Malawian Ministers going on foreign jaunts Monica seems to have slipped the net :) She is in Saudi for the Future Minerals Forum.
Of more interest to us though is that Cotec are there among the great and not so great with Julain being one the speakers https://www.futuremineralsforum.com/conference-speakers/julian-treger/
Procurement of REEs including recycling is part of the US 2024 fiscal defence spending bill that has been passed
'FY2024 House NDAA Bill Provisions
Multi-year Procurement Authority for Domestically Processed Rare Earth Elements (Sec. 181)
Allows the National Defense Stockpile to enter into long-term procurement contracts with domestic rare earth element (REE) processing and recycling projects.
Gives the stockpile advance procurement authority, allowing it to pay projects prior to delivery.'
'BEIJING (AP) — China announced sanctions Sunday on five American defense-related companies in response to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and U.S sanctions on Chinese companies and individuals.
The sanctions will freeze any property the companies have in China and prohibit organizations and individuals in China from doing business with them, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted online.
It was unclear what impact, if any, the sanctions would have on the companies, BAE Systems Land and Armaments, Alliant Techsystems Operations, AeroVironment, Viasat and Data Link Solutions. Such sanctions are often mostly symbolic as American defense contractors generally don’t sell to China.'
Reckon those companies rely upon REE's in much of their rechs and well China controls the REE market... so Time to ramp up domestic none China supplies I think
Well, I suppose it can be simply summed up with this -trading (profit-taking) has occurred and there are future uncertainties, although the sky is not quite falling in :)
I do think it's about time Mkango did some investor PR (webinar maybe) setting out the way forward for the New Year to shake off some of those uncertainties and put us and the SP on more of a sure footing.
LSE has started the NY with a new glitch of not being able to show any trades yay! :)
I did expect a sell-off on no MDA before year's end although I must admit not quite this one so soon but that's AIM... Mining Review Malwai will contact the Ministry on the 8th when they are back to ask what the status is of Mkangos MDA negotiations... guess I'll be nibbling at sub 10p sooner than I thought or hoped for! Here is to a game changer 2024 when finally the aligned stars shine on the SP
'I bet Malawi make Alex Lemon's eyes bleed behind closed doors!' I agree, he is a cool operator though and comes out with all the right statements to the Malawi media... And I do think the Ministry Of Mining, if they had the power, would have gotten the MDA over the line, but it seems there are other blocking forces, possibly the AG being the main one...
It was the Ministry that set the before end of year deadline not Mkango and once Lotus pushed expectations for their MDA back a couple of months I felt that would likely be the case for us too... I think the issue is Banking the Malwian Gov wants the money to go into Malawian banks and stay there longer than the Mining companies want it to...It'll get resolved,I note the President's New Year's speech and its positive tone for pushing through projects and removing those in Gov standing in the way....My prediction.... the MDA will arrive sometime in 2024 :))
I watched it too, although the headline looks bad and of course, the council ruling is a problem it does seem it is easily resolvable with simple communication the local Council feels out of the loop and that they are being left in the dark and that the mine is up and running behind their backs as it were... one of them says 50 trucks of Graphite a day are leaving the site!...Hopefully this will all be swiftly resolved before it damages the SP
What is of worthy note and makes Songwe compelling to get Western backing is its local support and EISHA those two things are very CRMA box tickers..
'As reported in our front page article, after 13-years of intensive mineral exploration investing over US$30-million, UK firm Mkango Resources is now on the brink of getting a signed Mining Development Agreement and Mining Licence from the Malawi Government for the Songwe Hill Rare Earth Prospect in Phalombe.
This was confirmed when Minister of Mining Monica Chang’anamuno visited the project where she expressed satisfaction with the activities that have been carried out at the site.
Her visit came after Mkango concluded all exploration works and completed and published a final definitive feasibility study on the Songwe Hill rare earth deposit as well as completing a full Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) which was approved and signed off by the Malawi Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) in February this year.
Chang’anamuno explained that the Government is in the process of finalising negotiations for the MDA with Mkango so that the company can raise funds from banks and investors to construct the rare earths mine.
We commend the Malawi Government and Mkango for advancing the negotiations to this stage.
We agree with the Minister that the project will significantly contribute to Malawi’s economy through payment of royalties and other taxes while Malawians including people of Phalombe and Migowi will get jobs and various wealth creation opportunities emanating from the project.
From our perspective, it is not only the work that the company has done in mineral exploration that qualifies it to get the MDA but also the cordial relations Mkango has established with Malawians especially the local community.
Mkango enjoys very good relations with the community as it has in all these years been executing a number of corporate social responsibility activities.
Its interventions included response to disasters which has seen the company donating various items to assist the community in times of disasters including the recent Cyclone Freddy.
Mkango has also assisted in the area of education by painting classrooms of three primary schools in the vicinity of the project site with some content of the school syllabus to facilitate easy learning by the learners.
The Company also introduced a school feeding programme and has been running a scholarship programme for top performing students from the beneficiary primary schools sponsoring their education up to University.
Besides, Mkango, which prioritises employing locals, has constructed access roads, bridges and repaired boreholes in the area.'
https://miningtradenews.net/mkango-deserves-mine-development-agreement-for-songwe-hill/?fbclid=IwAR2R9VHEpSn16O5nuuN-B_l1TEcRhJvg10qXrOxU7VEitCf15NzrliwofKE