Northcliff Resources (TSX: NCF) shared what it has discovered about new research on tungsten-ion batteries.

Research conducted by the University of Cambridge and partner Nyobolt have been investigating the advantages of niobium- and tungsten-based anode systems over lithium-ion battery systems. Several improvements have been discovered. The new type of batteries can be 90+% charged in less than five minutes, and they withstand a wider range of temperatures with reduced fire risk. They have a 10-times higher input power density, which extends their working range and allows for smaller and lighter batteries. Finally, they new types have 10-times the durability of conventional batteries, resulting in lower total cost of ownership.

Northcliff pointed out that these capabilities enable new applications and enhanced customer experience. Such batteries could be used high performance and industrial vehicles as well as a number of consumer appliances and tools.

Also, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered that by using a scalable synthesis method, they could create a novel compound of molybdenum, tungsten and niobate (known as MWNO). This compound has high efficiency, recharges quickly, and could potentially replace graphite in commercial batteries.

Should these new technologies be commercialized, they could positively impact the demand for tungsten and molybdenum, said Northcliff CEO Andrew Ing.

Northcliff holds an 88.5% interest and is the operator of the Sisson tungsten-molybdenum project in new Brunswick. (Todd Corp. of New Zealand holds the balance of the project as well as a 52% interest in Northcliff). The 2013 feasibility study is being updated, but it posits a 30,000-t/d open pit and mill producing ammonium paratungstate and molybdenum.

The Scisson project has a measured and indicated resource of 387 million tonnes grading 0.067% tungsten oxide and 0.21% molybdenum. The inferred portion is 187 million tonnes at 0.50% tungsten oxide and 0.020% molybdenum.

More information about the Scisson project is available at www.NorthcliffResources.com.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA are teaming up to map portions of California, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah for critical mineral potential.

The $16-million, 5-year, government-funded project will employ NASA’s Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer high-altitude earth remote sensing platform and MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator to collect hyperspectral data over large regions in the arid and semi-arid western United States. 

Hyperspectral data are reflections of light from surfaces, measured across hundreds of frequency bands. These measurements capture not only light visible to our eyes, but also bands of light beyond the visible, into the infrared.

According to the USGS and NASA, the data collected can be very useful in studying surface rock formations because each mineral in rocks has its own unique reflection characteristics across the various bands of light. Thus, looking for these patterns or ‘spectral signatures’ can help identify locations with high potential for mineral resources.

The research will also include evaluating critical mineral potential in mine waste.

“Mine waste is receiving increasing attention for its potential to contain critical mineral resources, particularly those that are most often produced as byproducts, while also offering an opportunity for remediation of contaminated sites,” the agencies said in a media statement. “For instance, the USGS recently analyzed mine tailings from historical iron production in the Adirondacks of New York for rare earth element potential.”

The Geological Survey has also used hyperspectral data in the past to analyze mineral potential in Alaska but it has also found these data useful for understanding a variety of other earth science and biological issues including geologic acid mine drainage, debris flows, agriculture, wildfires and biodiversity.

“This exciting scientific effort is made possible through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s investments and will enable NASA and the USGS to leverage our unique capabilities toward a common goal,” USGS Director David Applegate said in the press brief. “The data we’re collecting will be foundational for not only critical minerals research but also for a wide range of other scientific applications, from natural hazards mitigation to ecosystem restoration.”

The $16 million allocated to this project are part of a larger, $510.7-million investment provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the USGS to support integrated mapping and interpretation of mineral resources data, the preservation of data from geochemical samples from Earth MRI, and the construction of a USGS energy and minerals research center in Golden, Colorado.

Opponents and supporters of Northern Dynasty Minerals’ (TSX: NDM; NYSE: NAK) long-stalled Pebble copper-gold project in Alaska are stepping up pressure on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make a decision on the proposed mine both groups deem fair.

Alaska Natives, conservationists and commercial fishermen seem confident the EPA will announce a final ban on deposing mining waste near Bristol Bay, where the project is located, effectively killing the copper and gold mine estimated to be worth $350 billion (all U.S. dollars).

“This project isn’t economical,” former Republican Alaska state Sen. Rick Halford, who’s spent the past few decades fighting the Pebble Mine, told Tribune Publishing this week. “It’s too big, there’s not enough investors. Even a big mining company would have to commit six or seven billion dollars to get there.”

Northern Dynasty said in a statement released late on Tuesday that two letters supporting the project had been submitted to the EPA in the past month. One by the State of Alaska and the other one signed by a total of 14 states, including Alaska, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyomin.

“[EPA’s attempt to block Pebble] diminishes the importance of resource development to Alaska and its people. It also disregards the State’s ability to – and history of – ensuring protection of its own fishery resources through the state’s permitting system,” the Alaska’s government statement reads.

The document signed by several states calls EPA’s move an “unprecedented abuse of its perceived authority” and warns about its implications for the future.

“If finalized … it would impose a blanket prohibition on all future, similar mining projects over a 309-square-mile area, which is 23 times the size of the proposed project footprint and comprises lands owned by the State of Alaska. This veto sets a dangerous precedent…”, the letter says.

The Pebble project has been pursued for more than a decade and faced environmental opposition from the onset. Its development has been surrounded by controversy and delays, including the EPA’s decision in 2014 to propose restricting the discharge of mining waste and other material in the Bristol Bay area, home to one of the world’s largest salmon fisheries.

Pebble scored a big win in 2019, under the Trump administration,  after the EPA scrapped the proposed restrictions. But the same government ended up denying the mine’s permit in November 2020, a few weeks after then-President Donald Trump lost the election to Joe Biden.

The anti-pollution rules proposal was revived shortly after Biden took office last year, which many thought it was the last nail on Pebble’s coffin.

Northern Dynasty’s subsidiary, Pebble Limited Partnership, challenged the legality of the new plan to protect Bristol Bay and EPA was expected to release its final decision in September. The date has been moved to Dec. 2.

Building the Pebble gold mine in southwest Alaska would include the construction of a 270-MW power plant and 165-mile natural gas pipeline, as well as an 82-mile road and large ponds for the tailings. It would also require dredging a port at Iliamna Bay.

If and when the mine moves into production, it would be the largest in North America. The current resource estimate includes 6.5 billion tonnes in the measured and indicated categories containing 57 billion lb. copper, 71 million oz. gold, 3.4 billion lb. molybdenum, 345 million oz. silver and 2.6 milllion kg rhenium.

In the inferred category, the deposit holds 4.5 billion tonnes, containing 25 billion lb. copper, 36 million oz. gold, 2.2 billion lb. molybdenum, 170 million oz. silver and 1.6 million kg rhenium. Palladium also occurs in the deposit.

The P-S mineral resource – including oxide, enriched and stockpile material that are all considered amenable to a heap leaching operation – is estimated at 143.6 million tonnes grading 1.015% copper (for 2.92 billion lb. copper), all in the inferred category.

This brings the company’s total leachable inferred resource inventory (both the Cactus open pit and the P-S underground) to 449.9 million tonnes at 0.544% copper (4.89 billion lb. copper). The total indicated resource, which only applies to Cactus, remains at 151.8 million tonnes at 0.531% copper (1.61 billion lb. copper).

Due to the increase in its global mineral resource base, Arizona Sonoran says it will consider the inclusion of oxide and enriched material at P-S in a future technical study incorporating both deposits. Future studies will be based on the expanded leachable inventory, heap leaching and SX/EW process recovery. An integrated technical study is expected to be completed in the next 12 to 18 months.

George Ogilvie, president and CEO, commented, “The significant increase to our global resource base is a key inflection point in the low-risk development of our existing Cactus project. We have increased our global leachable inventory base by over 100%, and as a result, the company has determined that a full revised study will be considered to produce an integrated business case for Cactus and Parks-Salyer. It is clear that the high-grade nature of Parks-Salyer’s mineral resource inventory offers significant potential to increase scale within an integrated operation at conservative copper price estimates.”

Ogilvie added the company will continue advancing its work study programs, specifically metallurgical and geotechnical test work, hydrology, permitting, infill drilling, and associated projects to advance the combined Cactus and P-S project through the technical study phases.

Located near the city of Casa Grande, the Cactus mine project is underpinned by a multi-billion-pound mineral resource base that would produce 56 million lb. of copper annually over an estimated 18-year mine life. A preliminary economic assessment for the project outlined an after-tax net present value of US$312 million (at 8% discount) and an internal rate of return of 33%.

The P-S deposit is located 2 km southwest from the Cactus open pit along the mine trend and demonstrates the same geological characteristics.

To learn more, visit www.arizonasonoran.com.

Stantec has been selected by Resolution Copper Mining to deliver a US$16 million feasibility study providing engineering and technical services for the Resolution copper mine in Superior, Arizona. Resolution Copper is owned by Rio Tinto (55%) and BHP (45%).

Stantec has been a lead underground mining and infrastructure consultant on the project since early 2019. Stantec will assist Resolution Copper by providing engineering and execution planning services for the mine.

The proposed underground mine has the potential to be one of the largest producers of copper in North America – supplying up to 25% of U.S. copper demand each year.

“Resolution Copper is mining a critical resource needed for the energy transition,” says Mario Finis, EVP for Stantec’s energy and resources business. “We are proud to support our client in this important endeavour with a strong commitment to sustainable mining throughout the entire life cycle of the project.”

Stantec’s engineering services on this project include power distribution, material handling, shafts and hoisting systems, dewatering and pumping, communications, and more. Additionally, Stantec is evaluating the use of battery electric vehicles to help the mine meet its goal of zero carbon emissions.

Stantec’s mining, minerals and metals team is helping clients achieve net zero mining through its holistic service offering, Sustainable Mining by Design, which aids companies to meet their environmental, social, and governance obligations by finding ways to reduce energy demand and utilize clean sources of energy.

Mining giant Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO; LSE: RIO; ASX: RIO) says it’s investing US$55 million to start underground mining and expand production at its Kennecott copper operations, the world’s largest open pit mine, near Salt Lake City, Utah. 

The move will add 30,000 tonnes of copper production from early 2023 to 2027, alongside the site’s open pit operations, the company said in a news release. The open pit produced 159,400 tonnes of copper last year.  

The new underground ore will come from the mine’s Lower Commercial Skarn, which has a measured resource of 200,000 tonnes at 2.52% copper, 1.27 grams gold per tonne, 10.56 grams silver per tonne and 0.056% molybdenum, Rio Tinto said.  

Rio Tinto Copper chief executive officer Bold Baatar said the investment would help the miner build knowledge and capabilities as it evaluates larger scale underground mining at Kennecott. 

“We are progressing a range of options for a significant resource that is yet to be developed at Kennecott, which could extend our supply of copper and other critical materials needed for electric vehicles and renewable power technologies,” the CEO said in the news release.  

International Battery Metals (CSE: IBAT; OTC: IBATF), which is looking to commercialize a first-of-its-kind modular, mobile lithium extraction plant, has made a further step towards its sustainable lithium extraction goals. An independent review by SLR International, a global leader in environmental and engineering services, has verified that the company’s patented technology extracts more than 65% of available lithium from brine, effectively strips out impurities, and recycles and reuses more than 94% of water.

“The results of this independent review are a strong validation of our ground-breaking technology,” said Dr. John Burba, CEO of IBAT. “IBAT’s technology is faster and more economical because it can be built, deployed and brought on-line in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost of traditional lithium mining models, and further, we can extract more lithium from a given resource with less environmental impact than any other available technology.”

The modular direct lithium extraction (MDLE) plant located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been flow-testing lithium-bearing brine since early May 2022, and extracting lithium chloride (LiCl) since mid-May, making IBAT the first company globally to successfully operate a commercial-scale mobile lithium extraction plant.

The third-party independent review also confirmed the robust modular design of the plant and ease of transportation and relocation, which could allow access and a means to capitalize on a more diverse range of lithium-bearing brine resources globally, including smaller sites in varied terrain – such as those in the U.S. – that are currently considered uneconomical due to the current, dominant extraction technologies.

As configured, the plant is designed to produce 5,738 tonnes of LiCl per year, or 5,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate-equivalent per year from a brine with a lithium concentration of 1,800 parts per million. SLR’s operational review consisted of observation of continuous processing of a brine, containing 300 ppm of lithium, through the plant and monitoring the solution chemistry by sampling at regular intervals to determine the performance of the process equipment and the absorption media through three loading and elution cycles.

The brine was sourced in the U.S. and delivered in significant volume to the plant via tanker truck. In the first phase of extraction from the raw brine, SLR found that “lithium extraction for the three cycles ranged from 72.6% Li to 87.5% Li with an average extraction of 81% Li.” In the second phase, which recovers the lithium from the absorbent material to develop commercial-grade lithium chloride and lithium carbonate, recovery “ranged from 58.3% Li to 89.0% Li with an average of 68.8% Li.”

This is significantly higher than the industry-wide average of 50% for evaporative lithium processing, based on data from the National Renewable Energy Agency (NREL), a laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy.

According to the SLR report, an important part of IBAT’s MDLE process is the selectivity of the absorbent, which strips out the lithium but leaves other naturally occurring elements in the brine, which allows the brine to be reintroduced into the environment, vastly reducing the overall environmental impact.

Furthermore, with its highly efficient capture of impurities and reinjection of brine back into the original resource, coupled with industry-leading water recycling, IBAT’s sustainable environmental performance enables the creation of a clean lithium extraction industry in North America and around the world, SLR concluded.

“From the beginning, our goal has been to create a technology that is environmentally friendlier than any technology currently in operation, while demonstrating consistently superior lithium recovery, scalability and mobility, and we believed we could do it all at a lower cost,” added Burba. “We are thrilled that a team as experienced, technically skilled and globally-renowned as SLR were able to validate the technology on our first operational and commercially available plant.”

More details on IBAT’s advanced lithium extraction technology can be found at www.ibatterymetals.com.

WSP Global (TSX: WSP) has completed its previously announced acquisition of the environment and infrastructure business (E&I) of John Wood Group through a sale and purchase agreement. E&I provides engineering, remediation consulting, environmental permitting, inspection, monitoring and environmental management services to mining clients, industrial, infrastructure, oil and gas, power, water, and government. E&I’s 6,000 professionals are based in 100 offices in over 10 countries, mainly in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., with a secondary presence in Latin America and Europe.

“We are pleased to welcome E&I’s 6,000 professionals into the WSP family and are excited to create a strong market leader from two respected organizations with bold ambitions. Joining forces will allow us to offer our clients expanded world-class multidisciplinary services while bringing new solutions and enhanced value. This transaction will also enable us to further seize opportunities in the fast-growing environmental and water sectors,” said Alexandre L’Heureux, WSP’s president and CEO.

“Aligned with our global strategic action plan, this acquisition, along with our other recently announced transactions, will contribute to the achievement of our strategic ambitions while expanding our geographical range and adding expertise in key sectors. This will create even greater momentum as we future-proof our cities and our environment,” he added.

“We are excited to join a world-leading consulting firm, where our combined expertise will add value for our clients through strengthened service capability, global reach and deep portfolio of technical experts. Together with WSP, we will be a unique advisor and provider for clients across all sectors and services, and the aspirations of our people for a more sustainable future have room to grow. We are now an industry leader at a time when environmental and infrastructure needs are a global priority,” said Joe Sczurko, executive president of E&I consulting.

The aggregate cash consideration payable in connection with the acquisition is approximately US$1.8 billion (approximately $2.4 billion), subject to adjustments. The acquisition and other related transaction costs were financed using a US$1.8 billion term credit facility with various tenors of up to five years in length.

To find out more, please visit www.wsp.com.

As part of the targeting program underway ahead of future drilling at its Tintic copper-gold project in Utah, Ivanhoe Electric (TSX: IE) recently resampled drill core from a number of historic holes and has received assay results indicating the presence of high-grade copper and precious metals mineralization near the historic Mammoth underground mine, specifically within the New Park Reserves area.

The New Park Reserves represents a viable exploration area identified by Ivanhoe Electric beneath the historic mine workings. The area was partially mined with crosscuts by Kennecott (now a division of Rio Tinto) and drilled in the 1960s by the New Park Mining (now Newpark Resources, an oilfield services group). Six sections from five New Park Mining drill holes were resampled, one of which assayed 1.95% copper, 1.69 g/t gold and 129 g/t silver over a length of 20.4 metres.

Speaking at the annual Denver Gold Forum on Tuesday, Ivanhoe chairman and CEO Robert Friedland said: “We continue to be astounded by the high-grade mineral potential of the Tintic district. A lot of copper, gold, silver, lead and zinc ended up at Tintic, and it certainly did not fall from the sky. These results from the New Park Reserves area continue to demonstrate that the old-timers did not mine all of the high-grade copper, gold and silver. In addition, these results provide further evidence of the presence of one or more large-scale porphyry copper-gold deposits located at depth at Tintic.

“Using our proprietary high-powered Typhoon geophysical surveying system, we completed a 72-km², three-dimensional induced polarization and resistivity survey and imaged three large-scale anomalies – each comparable with the scale of the nearby Bingham Canyon copper-gold mine,” Friedland continued.

Bingham Canyon, more commonly known as the Kennecott copper mine among locals, is an open pit operation owned by Rio Tinto. Over the past 119 years, it has milled more than 2.7 billion tonnes of copper-gold ore and produced over 20 million tonnes of refined copper metal and more than 28 million oz. of gold.

According to Friedland, Ivanhoe’s geologists continue to identify new features that support the thesis that one or more of these Typhoon anomalies may be the porphyry targets that have produced all of the copper and precious metals in the historic Tintic district. “These anomalies are located at depth from surface, meaning any potential mining operation at Tintic would likely be an underground operation,” he added.

Mineralization in the Tintic district was first discovered in 1869, and by 1871 significant mining camps were established in the nearby city of Eureka and the now defunct towns of Silver City and Diamond. The area saw nearly continuous mining operations from 1871 through to 2002 with variations in the level of activity and commodity extracted.

The Mammoth mine was historically one of the most significant mines in the Tintic mining district, operating between the late 1890s and the 1930s. While much of its early productive history went unrecorded, from 1901 onwards Mammoth is known to have produced approximately 1.18 million tonnes of ore grading 9.7 g/t gold, 349 g/t silver, 1.42% copper and 1.39% lead.

For more information, visit ivanhoeelectric.com.

Continuing its commitment during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S., Martin Engineering is inviting customers to “Go pink!” For the month of October, along with replacing the traditional Martin orange paint scheme on truck vibrators, the company will add the option of conveyor guarding, twist tensioners and inspection doors to go pink as well.

Along with the colour change, the equipment retains the same high-quality standards. Discharging heavy and often compacted material from dump trucks, hopper rail cars, and other vehicles can require a lot of vibration power in a punishing environment putting high demands on equipment. Operators choose Cougar DC truck vibrators and Cougar THD hydraulic vibrators to replace OEM vibrators that tend to have a limited service life. Reliable and durable truck vibrators like the DC and THD reduce manual labour and downtime while ensuring the safe evacuation of cargo. Faster unloading increases the number of trips by operators, improves efficiency and reduces the cost of operation.

By merely saying “Make mine pink” when purchasing of the company’s popular Cougar DC truck vibrator or Cougar THD hydraulic vibrator, Martin Engineering will donate a portion of its sales revenue to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“Since 2017, this popular campaign has allowed Martin Engineering to donate almost $50,000 to the Susan G. Komen organization,” said vibration business development manager Susie Orlandi. “Every contribution supports those in need today, while the researchers continue their work for a cure.

In addition to its donations, Martin Engineering is also hosting a team in Komen Peoria’s More Than Pink Walk to raise awareness and encourage individual contributions to this worthy cause.

“Every year, our customers generously join us in this fight, placing orders to contribute to its success,” Orlandi added. “Programs like this allow the pink colour scheme to represent the cause year-round, generating awareness and getting people talking.”

To learn more, visit www.martin-eng.com.