Montero and Mintek to Advance Rare Earth Extraction Process

By Joel ScanlonApr 20 2011

Montero Mining and Exploration has asked Mintek, a South African research center to develop a rare earth element extraction process flow sheet for its flagship project. Montero’s main project is the Wigu Hill exploration project in Tanzania.

The Johannesburg based research center is working on metallurgical and hydro metallurgical studies and Montero will help Mintek by setting up an internal research group to evaluate the historical Rare Earth Elements extraction methods. This will compare the practicalities and risk factors associated with hydro metallurgy and a techno economic model to check the financial implication of the process from mining to refining the products.

The process flow sheet is to be designed maximize the recovery of rare earth oxides for the production of a mixed intermediate product that can be sold. It will also develop further refining processed to produce pure individual rare earth oxides from mixed rare earth oxide concentrates.

Dr Tony Harwood, President and CEO of Montero said that Mintek's expertise in mineral processing and metallurgical extraction is key to developing a successful and cost effective process suited to the ore characteristics of the Wigu Hill mineralogy. To date the laboratory scale testwork is progressing in a most satisfactory way and promises to lay the foundation of a process route that we believe could be economically rewarding.